Clostridioides difficile
Plain-English definitions of microbiome research vocabulary — the terms you'll see across articles, testing services, and probiotic claims.
A bacterium that can cause severe diarrhoea and colitis, typically after antibiotic use disrupts the normal gut flora. C. difficile infection is one of the clearest examples of how microbiome disruption leads to disease.
Related terms
Dysbiosis
An imbalance in the composition or function of the microbiome, typically characterised by reduced diversity, loss of beneficial bacteria, or overgrowth of potentially harmful species.
Faecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT)
A medical procedure that transfers stool from a healthy donor into a patient's gut to restore microbial diversity. Currently approved primarily for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection, with research ongoing for other conditions.