PO Box 1488
Warrenville, IL 60555
Phone: 331.248.7888
Email: sidp@affinity-strategies.com
Dr. Julie Ann Justo is joined by experts Drs. Krista Gens and Javier A. Villafuerte Gálvez as they dive deep into the gut microbiome and explore the latest therapeutic frontier for C. difficile infections. From bacteria battles to breakthrough treatments, this one’s a must-listen! You can also review the helpful infographic on our website (https://breakpoints-sidp.org/infographics/).
This podcast was supported by an unrestricted grant from Nestlé Health Science.
References:
Helpful review from one of our guest experts: Gens KD, et al. Fecal microbiota transplantation and emerging treatments for Clostridium difficile infection. J Pharm Pract. 2013 Oct;26(5):498-505. doi: 10.1177/0897190013499527. PMID: 23966282.
More modern review: Herbin SR, et al. Breaking the Cycle of Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infections: A Narrative Review Exploring Current and Novel Therapeutic Strategies. J Pharm Pract. 2024 Dec;37(6):1361-1373. doi: 10.1177/08971900241248883. Epub 2024 May 13. PMID: 38739837.
Review on designing microbiota based therapies (pre-print only): Ke S, et al. Rational Design of Live Biotherapeutic Products for the Prevention of Clostridioides difficile Infection. 2024 May 02. doi: 10.1101/2024.04.30.591969.
[FDA Guidance regarding IND requirements for fecal microbiota transplant](https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/enforcement-policy-regarding-investigational-new-drug-requirements-use-fecal-microbiota). 2022 Nov.
OpenBiome webpage with resources for hospitals: How to Start an FMT Program. 2025.
Peery AF, et al. AGA Clinical Practice Guideline on Fecal Microbiota-Based Therapies for Select Gastrointestinal Diseases. Gastroenterology. 2024 Mar;166(3):409-434. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2024.01.008. PMID: 38395525.
Johnson S, et al. Clinical Practice Guideline by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA): 2021 Focused Update Guidelines on Management of Clostridioides difficile Infection in Adults. Clin Infect Dis. 2021 Sep 7;73(5):755-757. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab718. PMID: 34492699.
Henry Ford’s experience getting fecal microbiota products for patients: Abene S. Fecal Microbiota Capsules Improve CDI Access Through Specialty Pharmacy Integration. Contagion Live. 2025 Jul 11.
An international view on CDI management: Mendo-Lopez R, et al. Best Practices in the Management of Clostridioides difficile Infection in Developing Nations. Trop Med Infect Dis. 2024 Aug 19;9(8):185. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed9080185. PMID: 39195623.
Review on investigational LBP agents: Monday L, et al. Microbiota-Based Live Biotherapeutic Products for Clostridioides Difficile Infection- The Devil is in the Details. Infect Drug Resist. 2024 Feb 15;17:623-639. doi: 10.2147/IDR.S419243. PMID: 38375101.
More on quorum sensing: Falà AK, et al. Quorum sensing in human gut and food microbiomes: Significance and potential for therapeutic targeting. Front Microbiol. 2022 Nov 25;13:1002185. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1002185. PMID: 36504831.
Economic impacts of CDI pts: Reilly J, et al. Economic impact of multiple recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection in a community teaching hospital. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2025 Sep 29:1-3. doi: 10.1017/ice.2025.10295. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41020576.
Guests
Dr. Javier A. Villafuerte Gálvez is a gastroenterologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School, with clinical expertise in immune-mediated digestive disorders, particularly Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). He leads an NIH-funded research program (K23) investigating immune, metabolic, and microbial predictors of CDI outcomes. His work has identified novel biomarkers—including stool IL-1β and toxin concentrations—that differentiate CDI from asymptomatic carriage and predict adverse outcomes. He also is a part of the Celiac Center at BIDMC and has investigated long term adherence to a gluten free diet and ethnoracial factors in celiac disease diagnosis. He is currently pursuing an Master in Biomedical Informatics to apply computational approaches to redefine the C. difficile colonization-to-infection continuum.
Dr Krista Gens is the System Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Manager at Allina Health in Minneapolis, MN. With over a decade of experience in infectious diseases pharmacy, she has been a driving force in advancing antimicrobial stewardship across the continuum of care. Krista played a pivotal role in launching the fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) program at Allina Health for patients with recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections. From 2018 to 2023, more than 200 patients received FMT through this initiative. She has a strong interest in CDI, the microbiome, and One Health. Her first review article on FMT and emerging CDI treatments was published in 2013, and she has continued to contribute through multiple publications and presentations in the years since.
