Use of fecal microbial transplantations for disease states in Israel

The enteric microbial population (microbiota) has a tremendous impact on our health and multiple disease states are associated with an alteration of the enteric microbial profile. It has been suggested that fecal microbial transplantation (FMT)--a transfer of fecal microbiota from a healthy donor to a sick person, may be beneficial for the treatment of certain diseases such as obesity, diabetes and inflammatory bowel diseases. Currently, this treatment has been approved in Israel, as well as in other countries, for the treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (RCDI). The establishment of a stool bank from healthy donors makes this therapy available and easy to use. The rationale for using FMT for RCDI, and the methods for its performance and for choosing patients and donors, along with the open questions and the future for this therapy, are presented in the current editorial.