Testing

Common Testing Procedures

The following testing options are the most commonly utilised in consultation: 

Dietary Antigens Specific IgA

The Dietary Antigens Specific IgA (sIgA) secretory test is performed on saliva to assess the body’s early response to 88 foods.

SIgA is the dominant immunoglobulin secreted across mucosal surfaces, making up a large portion of our immune system, and is often described as our first line of defence against microbial invasion. It is critical in developing immune tolerance and influences other branches of the immune system such as IgG and IgE.

When sIgA levels increase in response to specific foods, levels may rise initially, and this can be associated with gut-based inflammation.

This can also be a complementary test to a stool profile, which may show raised sIgA but does not report a bacterial or viral trigger.

GI-MAP

The GI-MAP assesses a patient’s microbiome from a single stool sample. It identifies the microbes that cause disease or that disrupt normal microbial balances and contribute to perturbations in the GI microbiota, all of which contribute to illness.

The GI-MAP uses a fully quantitative PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technique on multiple GI biomarkers, including pathogens, bacteria, worms, yeasts, parasites and antibiotic resistant genes, alongside intestinal health and other immune system test markers.

SIBO Testing

SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) testing examines the presence of bacterial overgrowth of the small intestinal tract. People with symptoms such as chronic bloating or gas, bloating straight after meals or those whose symptoms respond well to the classic FODMAP diet, may benefit from SIBO testing.

H. Pylori

This test measures Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and two of its most well recognised virulent genes, cagA (cytotoxin-associated protein A) and vacA (vacuolating toxin).

H. pylori colonisation has been implicated in a variety of gastro-duodenal diseases including gastritis, gastric cancer and duodenal and peptic ulcers. H. pylori has also been detected by stool PCR (Polymerase chain reaction testing) in cases of indigestion, abdominal pain, and chronic gastro-intestinal symptoms.