Scientists claim to have CURED Crohn’s disease with antibiotics and faecal transplants

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Scientists claim to have CURED Crohn’s disease after a treatment of antibiotics and faecal transplants sparks long-lasting ‘profound remissions’

  • Crohn’s is a debilitating gut disease that affects around 115,000 people in the UK
  • It is thought to occur when the immune system attacks the gastrointestinal tract
  • Its symptoms can include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever and weight loss
  • Crohn’s may be caused by an imbalance of gut bacteria, possibly from infection

By Ian Randall For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Scientists claim to have cured Crohn’s disease after a treatment of antibiotics and faecal transplants sparked long-lasting ‘profound remissions’ in ten patients. 

Previously thought incurable, Crohn’s is a debilitating gut disease that affects around 115,000 people in the United Kingdom and almost 3 million globally. 

It is thought to occur when the body’s immune system attacks its own gastrointestinal tract, often causing pain, diarrhoea, fever and weight loss. 

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Scientists claim to have cured Crohn’s disease after a treatment of antibiotics and faecal transplants sparked long-lasting ‘profound remissions’ in ten patients

The study was undertaken by Gaurav Agrawal, Thomas Borody and colleagues at the Centre for Digestive Diseases in New South Wales, Australia.

‘Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory process of the digestive tract,’ they explained in their paper.

‘It has a negative impact on many aspects of quality of life — including physical, social, psychological, and sexual functioning.’

The disease — which is becoming more common — is conventionally treated using substances that suppress the activity of the body’s immune system.

However, such treatments are not always effective and relapse is common.

Previous research had revealed that patients with Crohn’s disease have an imbalance present in the makeup of their gut microbiome — one possibly resulting from an infection of the bacteria Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis.

To tackle this, the team gave ten patients individualised treatments that featured either specific doses and combinations of antibiotics, faecal transplants, or both.

The transplants saw the patients’ damaged gut ecosystems repopulated with bacteria from a healthy donor, which was delivered orally by a what the team have dubbed a freeze-dried ‘c**psule’.

The team gave ten patients treatments that featured either specific doses and combinations of antibiotics, faecal transplants, or both. The transplants saw the patients' damaged gut ecosystems repopulated with bacteria from a healthy donor, which was delivered orally by a what the team have dubbed a freeze-dried 'c**psule'. Pictured, Professor Borody

The team gave ten patients treatments that featured either specific doses and combinations of antibiotics, faecal transplants, or both. The transplants saw the patients’ damaged gut ecosystems repopulated with bacteria from a healthy donor, which was delivered orally by a what the team have dubbed a freeze-dried ‘c**psule’. Pictured, Professor Borody

‘Prolonged remission has been achieved for 3–23 years,’ the researchers said, enabling patients to be off all forms of Crohn’s therapy. 

Professor Borody — who heads up the Centre for Digestive Diseases — is also noted for having developed a cure for the stomach ulcers caused by the bacteria Helicobacter pylori.

 The full findings of the study were published in the journal Gut Pathogens. 

What is Crohn’s disease?

Crohn’s disease is a long-term condition that causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive system.

Inflammation most commonly occurs in the last section of the small or large intestine but it can affect any part of the digestive system. 

Common symptoms can include:

  • diarrhoea
  • abdominal pain
  • fatigue (extreme tiredness)
  • unintended weight loss
  • blood and mucus in your faeces (stools)

Remission occurs when people with the disease go long periods of time without symptoms however these periods can be followed by flare ups of symptoms.  

Why it happens

The exact cause of Crohn’s disease is unknown. However, research suggests a combination of factors may be responsible. These include:

genetics – genes you inherit from your parents may increase your risk of developing Crohn’s disease

the immune system – the inflammation may be caused by a problem with the immune system that causes it to attack healthy bacteria in the gut

previous infection – a previous infection may trigger an abnormal response from the immune system

smoking – smokers with Crohn’s disease usually have more severe symptoms than non-smokers

environmental factors – Crohn’s disease is most common in westernised countries such as the UK, and least common in poorer parts of the world such as Africa, which suggests the environment has a part to play 

Source: NHS