Since the internet first heard about poo transplants, perceptions of this procedure have changed from everyone freaking out to a growing appreciation of gut microbiota and its complexities.

Now a study has shown that for people with a type of dangerous gut infection, a poo treatment doesn't even have to involve a colonoscopy - it's enough to swallow capsules instead.

It is now generally accepted that faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is the most effective treatment for resistant, recurring diarrhoea caused by theClostridium difficile bacterium - especially since antibiotic resistance continues to weaken our weapons against infectious disease.

C. difficile infection is the most common cause of severe diarrhoea that can land you in the hospital and even be potentially life-threatening. If the condition becomes severe, it can cause dehydration, dangerous colon inflammation and even kidney failure.

When treated with antibiotics, 10 to 30 percent of patients will have a recurrence. And the more times the infection comes back, the less effective are antibiotics at relieving the suffering.