GI01 - Autologous Oral Fecal Microbiota Transplantation and Microbiome Recovery After Antibiotic Treatment, a Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract:

Background: Metronidazole is commonly prescribed to dogs with diarrhea and has a substantial negative impact on the gut microbiome and metabolome. The restoration of microbiome following discontinuation of metronidazole can be delayed.

Objectives: To describe the impact of 10-day autologous oral FMT administration on the recovery of fecal microbiome after metronidazole treatment in healthy dogs. Animals: Twenty healthy pet dogs.

Methods: Prospective, randomized controlled study. Fecal samples collected from each dog before initiating metronidazole treatment were processed into fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) capsules using a capsule processing device and stored frozen until administration (1.25-2.33g feces/kg PO over 10 days). Dogs were randomly assigned to 2 groups. All dogs received a 7-day course of metronidazole (12.5mg/kg PO q12h). Subsequently, test dogs received oral FMT capsules for 10 days (D0-D10), while control dogs only received FMT 24 days after completion of metronidazole treatment (D24-D34). The fecal microbiome was evaluated using the qPCR-based fecal dysbiosis index (FDI) at 6 time points. Results were evaluated using mixed-effects analysis with Sidak’s multiple comparisons test and Fisher exact test as appropriate.

Results: Metronidazole increased FDI and decreased the abundance of Clostridium hiranonis immediately after treatment (D0) in all dogs (p=0.0001). A higher proportion of control dogs had an abnormal FDI (>0) at D10 (p< 0.05) and decreased C. hiranonis abundance at D10 (p< 0.05) and D17 (p< 0.02) compared to test dogs. Conclusions and clinical importance: This study demonstrates the efficacy of autologous oral FMT capsules in accelerating the recovery of gut microbiome after metronidazole treatment.