Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is one of the most common nosocomial infections and is increasingly seen in non-hospitalized patients. Although more than 90% of patients have symptom resolution with a course of standard antimicrobial therapy, subsequent recurrence rates range from 15-30% (after the first CDI episode) to 40-50% (after the second and subsequent episodes). Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has shown promise as an adjunct to standard antimicrobial therapy, reducing recurrence among FMT recipients to 15%.~The primary study goal is to assess the efficacy of FMT for the prevention of subsequent recurrent CDI, when administered after successful treatment of recurrent CDI with standard antimicrobial therapy. Secondary goals are to evaluate, the efficacy of FMT in terms of CDI severity, duration, the safety of FMT, and in the event of a positive study result, establish a mechanism for providing FMT within the VA system.~This study will enroll 390 participants. Participants will be randomized (1:1 ratio) to FMT or placebo, stratified by number of prior recurrent CDI episodes (1 versus >1). They will be assessed for symptoms of CDI, other study outcomes and any treatment-related adverse events at 2, 14, 28, 42, and 56 days, and month 3, 4, 5 and 6 after administration of the study treatment.~The primary outcome is recurrent CDI (definite or possible) or death within 56 days of randomization.~Definite recurrence is defined as any of the following: The new onset of more than three loose or watery stools in 24 hours for two consecutive days, not explained by another diagnosis; Other clinical symptoms including ileus, toxic megacolon, or colectomy; PLUS Laboratory confirmation of C. difficile from a stool specimen by EIA toxin test. Possible recurrence is defined as the same clinical manifestations as above, but WITHOUT laboratory confirmation of C. difficile (stool test not sent, negative EIA toxin test result, or uninterpretable result).
The purpose of this study is to determine whether Fecal Microbiota Therapy (FMT) is effective vs. placebo in the prevention of C. difficile infection recurrence.