V. 1 Terminology
This glossary briefly explains the most important concepts that appear in the book, in a patient-friendly way. The definitions are there to aid understanding; they do not replace medical advice.
Acute CDI pathway
The treatment route on which an active, symptomatic C. difficile infection is treated with a DiffBiome or HospBiome product.
Antibiotic resistance (AMR)
When bacteria become resistant to antibiotics; one of the harmful consequences of excessive antibiotic use.
Bristol scale
A pictorial scale from 1 to 7 describing stool consistency; 1–2 marks the hard end and 6–7 the loose end, with the treatment goal being the formed 3–4 range.
CDI
The abbreviation for Clostridioides difficile infection.
Clostridioides difficile
A bacterium that can multiply when the balance of the gut flora is disrupted, causing an infection with diarrhoea and inflammation of the large bowel.
DiffBiome
MicroBiome Bank's oral FMT product for recurrent C. difficile infection, intended for home treatment.
DiffBiome 30(V)+
The most common home DiffBiome variant: 30 capsules (about a 10-day course), made from fivefold-concentrated, pooled source material.
DiffBiome 15(V)
A first-line DiffBiome variant for laboratory-confirmed CDI treated without antibiotics.
Diversity (microbial diversity)
The species richness of the gut flora; the more kinds of beneficial bacteria live in the gut, the more resistant it is to pathogens.
Donor
The thoroughly screened, healthy person from whose gut flora the product is made.
Donor screening
The strict, multi-stage checking of the donor's health (blood tests, stool tests, questionnaire) to ensure the product is safe.
DSQ (Donor Screening Questionnaire)
The donor screening questionnaire, which assesses the donor's health and lifestyle risks.
Dysbiosis
A disruption of the balance of the gut flora; this is most often the underlying cause of a C. difficile infection.
Dysbiosis pathway
The treatment route for those who do not have an active CDI, but where the aim is to put right the background dysbiosis (FindBiome → TransferBiome).
Emulsifier
A food additive that helps mix and hold water and fat together (common in processed, packaged products). Some research suggests certain emulsifiers can thin the gut's protective mucus layer and disturb the balance of the gut flora.
Engraftment
When the delivered donor flora truly takes root and durably persists in the gut.
Eradication
The suppression of the overgrowth of the pathogen, in our case C. difficile.
Fermented food
Food made with live bacterial cultures (e.g. sauerkraut, kefir, yoghurt), which can support the gut flora.
Fidaxomicin
A targeted, narrow-spectrum antibiotic against C. difficile. Like vancomycin it suppresses the pathogen, but on its own it does not restore the protective gut flora.
FindBiome
A compatibility test product (bioassay) that helps find the donor best matched to the recipient.
FMT (faecal microbiota transplantation)
The transfer of a healthy donor's gut flora into the patient's gut; DiffBiome is the oral, capsule-based form of this.
Fulminant colitis
Acute, severe inflammation of the large bowel; a condition requiring urgent, hospital care.
HospBiome
The very concentrated, few-capsule sibling product intended for severe, hospital cases (5(L), 5(XX), 5(V) variants).
Hypovolemia
A dangerous drop in the body's fluid and circulating-blood volume, typically from severe diarrhoea and dehydration. Signs include scant, dark urine, dizziness, weakness and a fast or irregular heartbeat — it needs urgent medical care.
Colonisation resistance
The ability of a healthy gut flora to prevent pathogens such as C. difficile from becoming established.
Comorbidity
Several illnesses present at the same time; common in older age, and calling for caution during treatment.
LOT (manufacturing batch)
The unique identifier of a given product batch; it makes it traceable which donor it came from and when it was made.
Lyophilisation
Freeze-drying; this method preserves the live bacteria in the capsule for a long time.
Microbiome
The entire community of bacteria and other microorganisms living in the gut (and on the body).
Microbiota
The community of microorganisms in a particular place (e.g. in the large bowel).
NOVA / UPF (ultra-processed food)
Heavily processed foods rich in additives; regular consumption can worsen the balance of the gut flora.
Oral–gut axis
The connection between the microbiomes of the mouth and the gut. Oral bacteria — when swallowed, or via their metabolites — can influence the gut flora and inflammatory processes, so good oral hygiene also supports gut health.
Pooling
The combining of several (4–5) donations from one donor, which gives higher diversity and cost-effectiveness.
PPI (proton pump inhibitor)
A stomach-acid-reducing medication; long-term use can increase the risk of CDI.
Prebiotic
A fibre or nutrient that serves as food for the beneficial gut bacteria (e.g. inulin).
Probiotic
A product containing live bacteria; during the DiffBiome course it generally should be avoided, unless your physician says otherwise.
Recurrence (relapse)
The return of the infection's symptoms after recovery; we speak of recurrent CDI when there are several repeated episodes.
Rehabilitation
The second pillar of recovery: rebuilding lifestyle so that the flora is durably restored.
Remission
A symptom-free state, when the infection's complaints have ceased and stay away durably.
SCFA (short-chain fatty acid)
Compounds produced by gut bacteria from fibre (e.g. butyrate), which nourish the gut wall and reduce inflammation.
SIS (Symptom Importance Scale)
A physician-completed system scoring the severity of CDI (0–100 points), which determines the appropriate product and dose.
SoHO (Substances of Human Origin)
The regulatory category into which FMT products fall.
Spore
The bacterium's resistant, dormant survival form: a hard-shelled state that withstands antibiotics, stomach acid and harsh conditions. When conditions become favourable again, the spore germinates and the bacterium multiplies once more — one reason the infection returns.
Sulforaphane
A sulphur compound found in broccoli and broccoli sprouts — a plant bioactive. It has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and supports the protective mechanisms of the gut lining.
Tapering
The gradual reduction of the dose towards the end of the course, mainly in frequent relapse.
Toxic megacolon
A dangerous dilation of the large bowel during severe inflammation; a life-threatening condition requiring immediate hospital care.
Toxin
A poison produced by the bacterium. The toxins of C. difficile (TcdA, TcdB) damage the lining of the gut wall — they cause the symptoms of the infection (diarrhoea, cramps, inflammation), not the mere presence of the bacterium.
TransferBiome
A longer, lower-concentration course on the dysbiosis pathway (60 capsules, at least 60 days), to put right the background dysbiosis.
Vancomycin
An antibiotic often given for C. difficile infection. It suppresses the pathogen and temporarily eases symptoms, but does not rebuild the missing gut flora, so the infection often recurs afterwards.