Risk of Helicobacter pylori transmission by faecal microbiota transplantation via oral capsules

Objectives: The aim was to determine if Helicobacter pylori is transmitted from donors to recipients by faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) via oral capsules. Methods: In a cohort of faeces donors not primarily screened for H. pylori, consecutive stool samples were retrospectively analysed by the H. pylori stool antigen test (SAT). Subsequently, we analysed recipient stool samples collected before and after receiving faeces donated by H. pylori SAT-positive donors, and we recorded recipient use of antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors. All stool samples were frozen upon collection and stored at -80 degrees C until use. Results: Thirteen out of 40 faeces donors (33%; 95% CI, 20-48%) were H. pylori SAT-positive. Among those positive, five donors donated faeces for 28 capsule-based FMTs performed in 26 recipients with stool samples collected before and after FMT. At a median of 59 days (range, 7-84 days) after FMT, no recipients (0%; 95% CI, 0-11%) were H. pylori SAT-positive. Discussion: We found no occurrence of H. pylori transmission from healthy, asymptomatic donors to recipients by oral capsule-based FMT, although with a wide CI. (c) 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Automated summary

The study aimed to determine if Helicobacter pylori is transmitted from donors to recipients through faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) via oral capsules. The results showed that healthy asymptomatic donors did not transmit Helicobacter pylori to recipients through FMT using oral capsule.