A Canadian team is evaluating the use of a “poop pill” to treat Clostridium difficile, or C. difficile, an infection that sickens nearly half a million Americans and kills 14,000 of them every year, reports USA Today.

The researchers tested the treatment on patients that had recurring cases of C. difficile and did not respond to antibiotic treatments.  The “poop pill” contained fecal microbes from a family member of the patient.  During the clinical trial, only one patient had a recurrence of the infection, but that was after taking antibiotics for a different infection.  In comparison, 80 percent of comparable patients have a recurrence of C. difficile infections with normal treatment measures.

C. difficile is a bacterial infection that can cause diarrhea and in some cases a life-threatening inflammation of the colon. It typically occurs after patients have taken antibiotics to treat another infection.  The illness happens when the healthy microbes in the patients’ intestines are killed by the antibiotics, allowing the C. difficile bacteria to flourish and release toxins that attack the lining of the intestines. Many patients require repeated courses of antibiotics to kill the bacteria.

According to the Mayo Clinic, illness from C. difficile most commonly affects older adults in hospitals or in long-term care facilities and typically occurs after use of antibiotic medications. However, studies show increasing rates of C. difficile infection among people traditionally not considered high risk, such as younger and healthy individuals without a history of antibiotic use or exposure to health care facilities.

A study in the Cochrane Library found that taking probiotics while taking antibiotics could mitigate the side effects commonly associated with antibiotics.  The Cochrane Collaboration explains that antibiotics are some of the most commonly prescribed medications.  Unfortunately, the way antibiotics work jeopardizes the balance of organisms that is normal in the human intestines.

Without the balance, there are a number of adverse events, the most common of which is diarrhea.  There are, however, more serious side effects. Disturbing the balance in the intestines can also pave the way for the growth of more dangerous organisms.  In particular, Clostridium difficile, or C. difficile, can result in infection, colitis, and even death.  A review of studies published in Clinical Infectious Diseases found that randomized, double-blind studies demonstrated the effectiveness of probiotics in treating a range of other digestion-related issues, including allergy to cow milk, urinary tract infection, and irritable bowel syndrome.  This review also showed a reduction in diarrhea, including diarrhea associated with C. difficile.