Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Relapsing Clostridium Difficile Infection
Brief Summary: There has been an alarming increase in the incidence and severity of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in North America over the past decade. Relapsing infection is a common problem in patients treated for CDI, often requiring prolonged and expensive courses of oral vancomycin with limited alternative treatment options. This study will determine if fecal microbiota transplantation, which involves administering fecal flora from a healthy stool donor to a patient with relapsing CDI, is an effective and safe treatment.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age between 18 and 75 years
* Prior endoscopic confirmation of UC of at least 6 months AND with a minimum disease extent of 15 cm from the anal verge.
* Having active disease, defined with a Mayo Score between 4-10 and Mayo endoscopic subscore \>1
* Failure of conventional therapy or treatment with biologicals and / or small molecules.
* previous medical therapy:

  * oral 5-ASA compounds (5-ASA); stable dosing for 4 weeks before randomization;
  * Azathioprine, 6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP) or Methotrexate (MTX); stable dosing for 8 weeks before randomization;
  * Oral corticosteroid therapy (prednisone ≤ 20 mg/day or budesonide ≤ 9 mg/day); stable dosing for 2 weeks before randomization;
  * Topical therapy (foams, clysms) with mesalazine or budesonide: stable dosing for 2 weeks before randomization.
* previous vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 or previous SARS-CoV-2 infection or positive serology
* Ability to understand and willingness to sign informed consent document in patients whom the investigator believes can and will comply with the requirements of the protocol.
* Potentially childbearing patient: negative pregnancy test and use of a highly effective contraceptive method

Exclusion Criteria:

* Crohn's disease or indeterminate colitis or proctitis ulcerosa alone
* Acute abdomen or other clinical emergencies (e.g. toxic megacolon, fulminant gastrointestinal hemorrhage, ileus, perforation, etc.)
* Previous operations on the colon: colectomy, partial colon resections
* current gastrointestinal infections
* Congenital or acquired immunodeficiency
* severe comorbidity (e.g. insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, decompensated liver cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, renal impairment \> grade 2)
* diagnosis of a malignoma in the last 3 years
* refusal of endoscopies with video documentation
* No specific therapy for ulcerative colitis to date
* Lack of immunity to SARS-CoV-2
* Previous treatment with TNF-, IL12/IL23-, IL23- or integrin-antibodies within the last 8 weeks before randomisation
* Treatment with calcineurin inhibitors within the last 4 weeks before randomization
* Treatment with JAK inhibitors (e.g., tofacitinib, filgotinib, or upadacitinib) within the last 4 weeks prior to randomization
* Treatment with S1P receptor modulators (e.g. ozanimod, etrasimod) within the last 4 weeks before randomization
* Systemic antibiotic treatment within the last 8 weeks prior to randomization.
* Known intolerance of metronidazole or vancomycin
* Previous FMT or FMFT, previous participation in this study (screening allowed)
* Participation in a clinical trial within the last 3 months
* Use of probiotics in tablet, capsule, or powder form, or appropriate drinking yogurts (or similar) within 2 weeks prior to randomization
* Failure to ensure frozen storage of investigational products
* Addictive or other medical conditions or circumstances that do not allow the subject to appreciate the nature, significance, scope, and possible consequences of the clinical trial
* Indications that the patient would be unlikely to comply with the protocol (e.g., unwillingness to cooperate - compliance questionable)
B: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients aged 18 or over
2. Active UC defined as a Mayo score \> 3
3. A Mayo endoscopic score \> 0

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Participating in another clinical trial
2. Unable to give informed consent
3. Severe co-morbid medical illness
4. Concomitant Clostridium difficile infection
5. Severe UC requiring hospitalization.
6. Increase in medical therapy for UC in the last 12 weeks. Continued treatment with 5-ASA, azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine or anti-TNF alpha therapy (e.g. infliximab) will be permitted if taken at stable dose for ≥12 weeks prior to randomization. Relapse on a stable dose (same dose for at least 2 weeks) or a tapering dose of steroids will also be permitted provided the dose of steroid is not increased again. Stable intake of probiotic therapy also permitted.
7. Antibiotic therapy in the last 30 days.
8. Pregnant women.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Adult outpatients (age ≥18 and \<75) referred to one of the study centers after suffering a third (or further) documented episode CDI and
2. who have failed to maintain CDI cure after standard therapy with oral vancomycin.

   * Previous treatment with at least one course of tapered/pulse dose vancomycin as per SHEA-IDSA C difficile treatment guidelines or -Inability to taper or stop vancomycin without developing diarrhea requiring anti-infective therapy. -

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients who are aged 75 years or greater.
* Patients who are pregnant
* Patients who are nursing
* Patients who are incarcerated
* Patients with cognitive impairment or severe neuropsychiatric co morbidities who are incapable of giving their own informed consent
* Patients who are immunocompromised specifically:
* HIV infection (any CD4 count)
* AIDS-defining diagnosis or CD4\<200/mm3
* Inherited/primary immune disorders
* Immunodeficient or Immunosuppressed due to medical condition/medication:
* Current or recent (\<3 most) treatment with anti-neoplastic agent
* Current or recent (\<3 mos) treatment with any immunosuppressant medications (including but not limited to monoclonal antibodies to B and T cells, anti-TNF agents, glucocorticoids, antimetabolites (azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine), calcineurin inhibitors (tacrolimus, cyclosporine), mycophenolate mofetil). Subjects who are otherwise immunocompetent and have discontinued any immunosuppressant medications 3 or more months prior to enrollment may be eligible to enroll.
* Patients with a history of severe (anaphylactic) food allergy
* Patients who have previously undergone FMT
* Patients who are unwilling or unable to undergo colonoscopy
* Patients with untreated, in-situ colorectal cancer
* Patients with a history of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis, Crohn"s disease or microscopic colitis) or irritable bowel syndrome
* Unable to comply with protocol requirements
* Patients who are American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Physical Status classification IV and V
* Patients with acute illness or fever on the day of planned FMT will be excluded (not undergo randomization or treatment with FMT) with the option of including that subject at a future date.
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Ulcerative colitis \>3 months duration
* Active mild-moderate ulcerative colitis (Mayo 4-10)
* Ulcerative colitis of any extent except isolated proctitis \< 5cm
* Live within driving distance of clinical site (to attend multiple study visits)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnancy
* Active gastrointestinal infection
* Other gastrointestinal disease / comorbidities
* Prior colonic surgery
* Recent antibiotic or probiotic use
* Prednisone \> 20mg
* Monoclonal antibody immunosuppressive therapy

Answer: C