016: Cdiff Infections and Fecal Transplants with Jimmy Ballard

Dr. Jimmy Ballard is professor and chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

Dr. Ballard is an expert on Clostridia-related diseases, and specifically disease caused by C. difficile, or “Cdiff.” Cdiff infections result from heavy antibiotic usage, and can cause serious and even fatal disease.

One of the most successful treatments for Cdiff infection is a fecal transplant, where fecal bacteria from a healthy donor are transplanted into the patient. Dr. Desh Sharma is a gastroenterologist who performs fecal transplants on his patients with Cdiff infections. Dr. Ballard discusses how Cdiff causes disease, Dr. Sharma discusses exactly how a fecal transplant is performed.

The MicroCase for listeners to solve is about Guera Macarena, a zookeeper who comes down with a strange disease after holding races with some of her zoo animals.

Participants:

Karl Klose, Ph.D. (UTSA) Jimmy Ballard, Ph.D. (OUHSC) Desh Sharma, M.D. (Stone Oak Gastroenterology) Janakiram Seshu, Ph.D. (UTSA)