Antibiotics Didn't Cure Their Infections. Fecal Bacteria Did. - (The New York Times via NewsPoints Desk)

• Research data published in the NEJM appear to have similar efficacy as antibiotics in eliminating Clostridium difficile infection, The New York Times reported.

• In the study, the investigators randomly assigned 20 people with C. difficile infections to receive antibiotics or faecal transplants.

• The researchers found that five of nine people who received faecal transplants were cured of infection, compared to five of 11 people treated with antibiotics.

• The research team noted that two of three people who received antibiotics after faecal transplants were cured, while a second course of antibiotics was not effective in any patient previously exposed to the drugs.

• The investigators plan to confirm these findings in a larger study involving about 200 patients.

• Study author Michael Bretthauer said the findings "speak for themselves" but cautioned that larger studies are needed for practice-changing results.

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