In
the
recent years fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has emerged as an effective therapeutic option
for
patients with refractory Clostridium difficile infection that is not responding to antibiotic therapy. It
results
in
implantation of donor microbiota into recipients and restoration of normal distal gut microbial
community
structure. We anticipate that this form of therapy represents merely the first entry into a new
class
of therapeutics. There is great interest in application of FMT or defined microbial consortia to treat-
ment
of many diseases associated with dysbiosis. However, many challenges remain in development as
our
understanding of microbial ecology within the human body and microbiota–host interactions remain
limited.
Future advances in this field will be critically depending on detailed mechanistic understanding.