Acct 555 Week 1

The fecal transplant added the healthy bacteria that was missing, back into the gut to help kill off the invading C. difficile infection. In week 1 the patient was feeling normal and healthy. Their gut contained all of the right bacteria they were supposed to have. L. reuteri (digestive and vitamin producing bacteria), B. fragilis (helps to produce immune cells), Prevotella (provides materials needed for growth and repair in the gut, keeping the gut lining healthy), B. animalis (prevents multiplying of infectious bacteria), and E. coli (take up extra space, preventing invasion of unhealthy bacteria). In week 3, the patient was feeling very sick, with vomiting, diarrhea and developing a fever. The bacteria in their gut looked the same, except

jejuni is known for giving people "food poisoning". The symptoms of sickness come from a poison that C. jejuni gives off. This bacteria is usually found in amimals like chickens which people eat a lot. That's why when people eat undercooked meat like that, they can develop "food poisoning" from ingesting the C. jejuni bacteria. The first treatment the doctors decided to try was antibiotics. In week 5, the patient reported feeling well again. However, looking at the bacteria in the gut during week 5 there is a lot of empty space. This shows that the antibiotics killed not only the bad bacteria, but a lot of the good bacteria also. This is not a good way to treat infection because when the body could develop a new infection, there would not be enough bacteria to kill off the bad bacteria. During week 7, the patient reports feeling sick again. This time with stomach pains, diarrhea, and bloating. Viewing the bacteria in their gut during week 7, there is a new type of bacteria called C. difficile. This bacteria can cause deadly infections. It was developed in this persons gut becuase of all the empty space. It invaded it's way into their gut and rapidly started to multiply. After the 7th week, the doctors decided it was time to try a new