The THRIVE Study: Repurposing Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for the Treatment of Pediatric Malnutrition in South Africa

Principal Investigator: Dr. Majdi Osman, Dr. Shrish Budree

​

Disease: Severe and Moderate Pediatric Malnutrition

Research Description: Globally, approximately 19 million children under the age of 5 are affected by severe acute malnutrition annually. Current approaches to treatment have only modest effects with approximately 30% of children failing to respond to standard nutritional therapy. There is emerging evidence that disturbances in the gut microbiota, the trillions of bacteria residing in the gastrointestinal tract, are causally related to poor recovery in malnutrition. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is widely used for the treatment of C. difficile infections and is recommended in clinical guidelines for adults and children. The THRIVE study is investigating the safety and clinical response to FMT in children with severe and moderate unresponsive to standard therapy. THRIVE is a single-center, randomized controlled, pilot study in 20 South African children in the recovery phase of malnutrition. The THRIVE study is the first to explore broad-spectrum microbiome interventions for the treatment of malnutrition and could catalyze novel therapeutic avenues to address malnutrition.

Funding Partners: Multiple Anonymous Funders

CWR funding role: Participating funder