Faecal microbiota transplantation: past, present and future

Beyond its role in therapy, FMT is providing insights into the importance of intestinal microbiota in health and disease

As physicians and scientists, we live in exciting times! Bacteria are no longer viewed solely as pathogens, but also as key partners in the maintenance of health. It is conceivable that altering the microbiota in our gastrointestinal tract may either predispose us to disease or ameliorate conditions we already have. Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has captured the attention of the lay press and professional journals since 1958, when faecal enema was reported to have cured four patients near death from severe Micrococcus pyogenes colitis.1