Faecal Transplants: The Challenges and Rewards
Elizabeth Hohmann with Dmitri, one of her prized stool donors
Elizabeth Hohmann
Faecal transplants have become a common treatment for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections, but the process of finding suitable donors presents a significant challenge.
Elizabeth Hohmann, an infectious disease expert at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, has been managing faecal transplants for 15 years. She faces the daunting task of sourcing high-quality stool donors for these transplants, with only about 1% of respondents to donor advertisements meeting the necessary health criteria.
Donors undergo rigorous screening processes to ensure their suitability. Criteria include factors such as not being healthcare workers, avoiding recent travel to certain regions, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Hohmann emphasizes the importance of diet and exercise in determining the quality of stool samples, with donors who follow balanced diets rich in fresh produce and whole grains being preferred.
Once selected, donors undergo a donation period of two to four weeks, during which they provide stool samples for processing. Hohmann converts the fresh stool into oral capsules, which are then administered to patients with gut conditions like recurrent C. difficile infections.
Despite the challenges in finding suitable donors and the meticulous screening processes involved, Hohmann finds the work rewarding due to the positive impact faecal transplants have on recipients. She recalls a patient who regained their ability to work after receiving the treatment, underscoring the life-changing potential of this unconventional therapy.
As Hohmann approaches retirement, she faces the dilemma of finding a successor to continue her work. Despite the reluctance of her colleagues to step into her role, she remains committed to the field, driven by the transformative outcomes she witnesses in patients.
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