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Aim: This Danish national guideline describes the treatment of adult patients with Clostridioides (formerly Clostridium) difficile (CD) infection and the use of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). It suggests minimum standard for implementing an FMT service. Method: Four scientific societies appointed members for a working group which conducted a systematic literature review and agreed on the text and recommendations. All clinical recommendations were evalluated for evidence level and grade of recommendation. Results: In CD infection, the use of marketed and experimental antibiotics as well as microbiota-based therapies including FMT are described. An algorithm for evaluating treatment effect is suggested. The organisation of FMT, donor recruitment and screening, laboratory preparation, clinical application and follow-up are described. Conclusion: Updated evidence for the treatment of CD infection and the use of FMT is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calprotectin (CP) is a calcium-binding cytosolic neutrophil protein and the concentration in feces reflects the migration of neutrophils into the gut lumen. Testing for fecal CP (f-CP) in patients with negative cultures for enteric pathogens is widely accepted as a useful screening tool for identifying patients who are most likely to benefit from endoscopy for suspected inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with the assumption that a negative f-CP is compatible with a functional disorder. Campylobacter concisus has recently been reported to have a high incidence in the Danish population almost equal to Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli and has been reported to cause prolonged watery diarrhea. However, isolation of C. concisus from feces requires the filter method in a hydrogen-enriched microaerobic atmosphere, which is not commonly used in the laboratory, and the diagnosis may consequently be missed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the f-CP levels, as a marker for the intestinal inflammation in C. jejuni/coli- and C. concisus-infected patients. The authors found a high concentration of f-CP (median 631: IQR 221-1274) among 140 patients with C. jejuni/coli infection, whereas the f-CP level among 99 C. concisus-infected patients was significantly lower (median 53: IQR 20-169). The data correlate to the severe inflammatory gastroenteritis seen in patients infected with C. jejuni/coli, whereas C. concisus-infected patients have a much lower intestinal inflammation which could be compared with viral gastroenteritis. Nevertheless, clinicians should be aware of C. concisus infection, especially in patients with prolonged mild diarrhea, in the differential diagnosis to IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]