Medicine Grand Rounds, Sarah McGill “C. Diff. Now: Diagnosing, Treating, and Repopulating the Gut with Fecal Transplant”

C. difficile Infection is the most common cause of infectious, antibiotic-associated diarrheal illness in the United States and a major cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in cases of recurrent or severe infection.  The standard of care in management of C. difficile infection has shifted dramatically in the last year.  I will discuss current diagnosis and management, including how C. difficile is diagnosed at UNC, antibiotic and novel medical therapies, and fecal microbiota transplantation.   I will review how fecal microbiota transplantation is performed, the proposed mechanisms behind its efficacy, and future potential uses beyond C. difficile.

Sarah McGill cares for patients with a broad spectrum of gastrointestinal conditions, including colon polyps, gastrointestinal bleeding, gastrointestinal infections, heartburn, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, inflammatory bowel disease, constipation and diarrhea, among others. She has a particular expertise in advanced techniques for colon polyp detection, differentiation and resection during colonoscopy. She has expertise in treating recurrent C. difficile colitis and performs fecal transplant.