Fecal microbiota transplantation is a technique for treating patients suffering from Clostridium difficile infection who do not positively respond to traditional treatment with antibiotics or whose infections have recurred, by transplanting the feces of healthy individuals. The objective of this review is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of fecal microbiota transplantation. A literature search was conducted using 8 Korean databases, Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Of the 1,410 articles that were initially identified, 30 studies were included in this review. The results show that the incidence of major complications was low and that mild complications resolved. Improvements in the symptoms of diarrhea after treatment were observed and the rate of recurrence was acceptable. On the basis of the current data, fecal microbiota transplantation can be considered a safe and effective technique for treating patients suffering from C. difficile infection who do not positively respond to traditional treatment with antibiotics or whose infections have recurred.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Clostridium difficile ; Diarrhea ; Fecal Microbiota Transplantation* ; Feces ; Humans ; Incidence ; Recurrence