NEW Added Test (GI Pathogen Profile)!

The CSA w/Parasitology now contains the GI Pathogen Profile PCR analysis! The GI Pathogen Profile no longer needs to be ordered separately, making the Comprehensive Stool Analysis an even greater value!

The CSA w/ Parasitology now provides insight into both acute and chronic issues of 3 months or longer. The PCR–based GI Pathogen Profile portion of this panel reflects sudden changes in the GI tract, such as recent travel induced GI issues or consumption of questionable food from a new restaurant.

Gastrointestinal complaints are common, but many of us are unsure of the causes. And yet, most people don’t know that any impairment in GI function or the mucosal barrier is serious and may lead to the development of food allergies, systemic illnesses, autoimmune disease, toxic overload and more. This fecal panel assesses your gut health in the areas of digestion/absorption, microbiome, inflammation, immune response, intestinal health markers, pathogenic bacteria, yeast, parasites and more.

The GI tract is home to over 1000 species of microbial organisms, most of them bacteria. These organisms are collectively known as the microbiome. Biomarkers of this microbiome indicate how well it is performing its shared metabolic functions with the human host.

Utilizing a growth–based culture of live organisms (yeast and bacteria), sensitive biochemical assays and microscopic methods this profile provides a comprehensive assessment of GI health and helps determine the root cause of many gut complaints and systemic conditions.

The key markers of this panel have been grouped into 6 actionable areas:

• Digestion/Absorption
• Elastase – to determine exocrine pancreatic function
• Fecal Fats – fat maldigestion and malabsorption
• Muscle and Vegetable fibers – incomplete digestion
• Carbohydrates – malabsorption
• Microbiome
• Putrefactive Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA) with Butyrate – indicators of the health of the microbiome
• Commensal Bacteria – imbalance of bacteria which can lead to colonization by pathogens
• Inflammation
• Lactoferrin – inflammation of the intestinal mucosa
• Calprotectin – useful in differentiating IBD and IBS and monitoring treatment
• Lysozyme – an enzyme secreted at the site of inflammation
• White Blood Cells and Mucus– can occur with infections and Inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s
• Immune Response
• Secretory IgA – gut secretory immunity and barrier function
• Intestinal Health Markers
• Red Blood Cells – associated with infection, inflammation, colorectal cancer and hemorrhoids
• pH – dependent on fermentation of fiber by beneficial gut flora
• Occult Blood – blood present in microscopic quantitates only
• Color – associated with diet and medication use as well as GI health
• Consistency – the technical ability to recover biomarkers from stool may be influenced by extremes of consistency
• Infection
• Pathogenic aerobic and anaerobic bacteria – these have the potential to cause disease (Aeromonas, Camplylobacter, Plesiomonas, Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio, Yersinia, and Edwardsilla tarda are specifically tested for and found absent unless reported).
• Yeast – pathogenic yeast may be associated with GI symptoms
• Ova and Parasites – intestinal parasites are always abnormal and have the potential to cause damage to their host
• Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium – the most common parasites in the US
• Antimicrobial susceptibility – Prescription medications and natural agents are tested against selected pathogenic bacterial and fungal species to identify their sensitivity to medications and natural ingredients as well as resistance to those agents.

  Please note, susceptibility testing is performed for most pathogenic or dysbiotic species; however, occasionally, susceptibility testing is not performed due to certain species’ unique growth requirements (such as a no oxygen environments) or self-limiting nature.

• PCR Multiplex pathogen testing (GI Pathogen Profile) – NEW! – Using advanced PCR technology for genetic level testing*, this GI pathogen profile detects and identifies 14 of the most common and problematic gastrointestinal viruses, parasites and bacteria in order to expedite clinical options, especially for diarrheal illnesses.
• While bacteria and parasites are the primary cause of food and water–borne diarrheal illness, the vast majority of acute diarrheal illness is caused by viral infections. In fact, Norovirus is the primary gastrointestinal infection occurring the in the US and the leading cause of foodborne illness.¹
• The following bacteria, parasites, and viruses are identified using the GI Pathogen Profile
• Bacteria
• Campylobacter (C. jejuni, C. coli and C. lari)
• Clostridium difficile (toxin A/B)
• Salmonella
• Vibrio cholerae
• Viruses
• Adenovirus F 40/41
• Norovirus GI/GII
• Rotavirus A
• Diarrheagenic E. coli/Shigella
• E. coli O157
• Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) lt/st
• Shiga–like toxin–producing E. coli (STEC) stx1/stx2
• Shigella/Enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC)
• Parasites
• Cryptosporidium
• Entamoeba histolytica
• Giardia duodenalis (lamblia & intestinalis)

*Currently, validated FDA–cleared probes exist only for pathogenic species.

Sample Report

Collection Instructions

Note

• The CSA now provides the option to collect up to a 3–day parasitology!
• The 3–day collection is optional but can enhance the reliability of parasitology microscopy.
•  If you wish to only collect on a single day, please discard the “Day 1” and “Day 2” vials, and only collect the three “Day 3” vials in the kit (1x yellow, 1x black, and 1x white capped vials).
• Results take 2-3 weeks from the time the laboratory receives your sample. This test is not available in Pennsylvania and New York. Results for this test are not available online.

References

1. https://www.cdc.gov/norovirus/trends–outbreaks/burden–US.html