Fecal filtrate transplantation protects against necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm pigs

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a life-threatening gastrointestinal disorder afflicting preterm infants, which is currently unpreventable. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a promising preventive therapy, but potential bacterial infection raise concern. Removal of bacteria from donor feces by sterile filtering may reduce this risk, while residual bacteriophages could maintain the NEC-preventive effects. We assessed gut pathology and analyzed mucosal and luminal bacterial and viral composition using 16S rRNA gene amplicon and meta-virome sequencing.