Oral Capsulized Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Eradication of Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae Colonization with a Metagenomic Perspective

Background: Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) infections lead to considerable morbidity and mortality. We assessed the potential of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to eradicate CPE carriage and aimed to explain failure or success through microbiome analyses. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, all consenting eligible CPE carriers received oral capsulized FMT for 2 days. Primary outcome was CPE eradication at 1 month, defined by 3 consecutive negative rectal swabs, the last also negative for carbapenemase gene by polymerase chain reaction. Comprehensive metagenomics analysis of the intestinal microbiome of donors and recipients before and after FMT was performed. Results: Fifteen CPE carriers received FMT, 13 of whom completed 2 days of treatment. CPE eradication at 1 month was successful in 9/15 and 9/13, respectively. Bacterial communities showed significant changes in both beta and alpha diversity metrics among participants who achieved CPE eradication that were not observed among failures. Post-FMT samples' beta-diversity clustered according to the treatment outcome, both in taxonomy and in function. We observed a significant decrease in beta diversity in participants who received post-FMT antibiotics. Enterobacteriaceae abundance decreased in post-FMT samples of the responders but increased among failures. Functionally, a clear demarcation between responders (who were similar to the donors) and failures was shown, driven by antimicrobial resistance genes. Conclusions: Our study provides the biological explanation for the effect of FMT against CPE carriage. Decolonization of CPE by FMT is likely mediated by compositional and functional shifts in the microbiome. Thus, FMT might be an efficient strategy for sustained CPE eradication. Clinical Trials Registration: NCT03167398.