Does fecal microbiota transplantation reduce gut microbiome pathogenic potential in sepsis patients on antibiotics compared to probiotics?

We analyzed one assertion on this topic and found no studies that contradict it. What we’ve found so far suggests that in critically ill sepsis patients on broad-spectrum antibiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation may reduce the predicted pathogenic potential of the gut microbiome by lowering levels of microbial groups tied to inflammation and infection, while probiotics do not appear to have the same effect [1]. This single assertion is based on observations of microbial changes, not direct clinical outcomes like survival or infection rates. We did not find any studies comparing the two approaches head-to-head in this specific group, nor any data on long-term effects or safety. The term “pathogenic potential” refers to the likelihood that certain bacteria in the gut could contribute to disease, based on their known traits — not on whether they are actively causing harm at the time. Because only one assertion was reviewed, and no studies were included to test or challenge it, our current analysis is very limited. We cannot say whether this difference is consistent across patients, how long it lasts, or if it leads to better health outcomes. Probiotics are live microbes often taken to support gut health, while fecal microbiota transplantation involves transferring stool from a healthy donor to restore microbial balance. At this point, the evidence we’ve reviewed leans toward a difference between the two approaches, but we do not have enough data to understand how or why. For now, this remains a preliminary observation that needs more research.