Characterization Of the Intestinal Microbiome Evolution After Kidney Transplant Donation or Receipt

The emergence of multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs) is a growing threat to global public health and is associated with high morbidity and mortality in both the general and solid organ transplant population. Intestinal microbiota diversity can provide functional and spatial barriers to bacterial and fungal MDRO colonization, and loss of diversity is associated with increased MDRO colonization. Dysbiosis is a state of loss of microbiota diversity and a single antibiotic treatment course can cause significant disruption in microbiota diversity, even in otherwise healthy individuals. This disruption can promote the growth of pathogenic and multidrug-resistant bacteria and fungi. Transplant patients, in particular, are at increased risk of colonization and infection with MDRO because of immunomodulatory therapies, healthcare exposure, increased antibiotic exposure and surgical manipulation of mucosa. Furthermore, chronic kidney disease and dialysis therapy leading up to transplant has been shown to be associated with alterations in both the intestinal and periodontal microbiome. Understanding the evolution of the disruption in the intestinal microbiome in both kidney transplant recipients and healthy kidney transplant donors during the time of transplant surgical prophylaxis will give valuable insight into further avenues for research and possible interventions that may mitigate the risk of MDRO colonization. This is a prospective, observational, and non-interventional pilot study which aims to enroll 100 adult renal transplant recipients and 100 adult renal transplant donors. Participants will provide stool samples and anal swab samples, and will complete dietary questionnaires. Participants may also choose to take part in an optional sub-study which involves banking leftover stool for future research use. The diversity change of the intestinal microbiota over time will be assessed at the screening visit, Post-Operative Day 2; Post-Discharge Day 15 and Post-Discharge Day 30. Participants will be followed by way of medical record review for 24 weeks post-surgery. This study is designed to understand the intestinal microbiota diversity in the setting of renal transplant surgery and the clinical significance of antibiotic use and the associated resistome (collection of all antibiotic resistance genes and precursors within a sample). Information learned from this study will be used to guide the design of future clinical trials.