The gut is an ecosystem, just as much as the oceans. One should be cautious on using antibiotics, as both the "good" microbes and the "bad" guys can be attacked in the gut.
The microbes in the gut produce vitamins, they have enzymes that can digest things that we can't, and they aid our immune system. Upon termination of treatment involving antibiotics, it is assumed that the gut returns to normalcy. Not so.
One culprit thrives during antibiotic therapy and prevents the reappearance of a normal microbial community. The bad germ is known as c.diff. Infection by this bad microbe can cause prolonged bouts of diarrhea, fever, anorexia, nausea, even death.
Mice practice coprophagia (they eat each other's feces.) When a group of healthy mice was divided, sample A received antibiotics while sample B group received no antibiotics. After medication ended, mice from group A only developed c.diff problems.
Then sample A and sample B mice were cohabitated. All the mice were cleared of c.diff. and returned to a normal microbial mix. This seems to echo findings looking at 18 human patients who had suffered recurrent c.diff episodes.
Stool was taken from a donor who was free of c.diff, inserted through the patient's nose via a tube, then deposited in the stomach. No catsup.
After 9 years, 15 of the 18 had no c.diff recurrences, 2 had died of unrelated illnesses and one had a single recurrence of c.diff.
fr WSJ
