Serendipity in Refractory Celiac Disease: Full Recovery of Duodenal Villi and Clinical Symptoms after Fecal Microbiota Transfer

J Gastrointestin Liver Dis. 2016 Sep;25(3):385-8. doi: 10.15403/jgld.2014.1121.253.cel.

Abstract

Treatment of refractory celiac disease type II (RCD II) and preventing the development of an enteropathy associated T-cell lymphoma in these patients is still difficult. In this case report, we describe a patient with RCD II who received fecal microbiota transfer as treatment for a recurrent Clostridium difficile infection, and remarkably showed a full recovery of duodenal villi and disappearance of celiac symptoms. This case suggests that altering the gut microbiota may hold promise in improving the clinical and histological consequences of celiac disease and/or RCD II.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Atrophy
  • Celiac Disease / diagnosis
  • Celiac Disease / microbiology
  • Celiac Disease / surgery*
  • Clostridioides difficile / pathogenicity*
  • Duodenum / microbiology*
  • Duodenum / pathology
  • Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / diagnosis
  • Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / microbiology
  • Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / surgery*
  • Fecal Microbiota Transplantation*
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
  • Humans
  • Microvilli / microbiology
  • Microvilli / pathology
  • Recurrence
  • Treatment Outcome