Vaginal and Urine Microbiome Test

Our method was developed as an alternative to the way the NHS tests urine infections.

The NHS normally relies on dip-stick tests which look at chemical changes in your urine or culturing tests where a lab will try to grow and identify bacteria in your sample. Dip-sticks often miss infections if the chemical changes are not the right type or big enough. Culturing tests, even extended culturing, are limited to growing specific types of bacteria so can miss entire families of microbes that require particular conditions to grow.

There are some commercial services that, like us, test for DNA from microbes. However, these typically use a process called PCR, sometimes combined with DNA sequencing, to look at a specific marker gene called the 16S rRNA gene. PCR tests can be sensitive but are prone to reporting contaminants. Most commercial tests are limited to looking for around 20 pre-defined species of bacteria.

Our test uses long sequences of microbial DNA taken directly from your sample with no need for PCR. Identifying all microbial species of bacteria and fungi AND accurately reporting their levels is crucial information for you and your healthcare provider. Complete data given in a clear format. That's what makes our test better than others.

This test is suitable for anyone who is looking to find out the exact identity and quantity of every microbe in their urine, bladder or vaginal microbiomes.

The test may be particularly useful for those suffering from recurrent UTIs and Vaginal infections such as BV or Thrush.

The NHS and other diagnostic labs commonly rely on dip-stick tests or extended culturing to identify the organism causing infection. These methods often miss entire families of microbes.

Identifying all microbial species AND accurately reporting their levels is crucial information for healthcare providers.

Only when they see the full picture can they determine which organism might be causing an infection and administer the correct treatment. This is essential to get rid of that infection and to ensure that it does not return.

These treatments may affect your results to varying degrees. Antibiotics and Hiprex both have direct antimicrobial activity and can suppress bacterial levels in your sample. Bladder instillations and D-Mannose work differently and are less likely to significantly affect what we detect.

The best time to test is when your symptoms are at their worst — this is when organisms are most likely to be present at detectable levels. If your symptoms have improved with treatment, it is probably not the right time to test, as bacterial levels may be temporarily suppressed.

Please continue any treatment prescribed by your healthcare professional and do not make changes to your regimen without consulting them first.

We prefer the first wee of the day as it should contain an overnight build-up of sloughed skin cells and bacteria that makes identifying problems easier.

However, we recognise that for some people the first wee of the day doesn't really exist. If you are suffering symptoms that keep you up all night with constant visits to the loo then any wee sample taken at any time should be sufficient.

Please also catch the first part of the wee too. Some testing systems prefer a 'mid-stream' collection where you discard the first part of the wee but we really like that bit so please include it!

Yes. We can see over 300 types of yeast and fungi, many of which can cause Thrush. All yeast, moulds and fungi will be reported if present. Not all are equal and knowing which microorganisms are in your microbiome is key information for you and your healthcare provider to work towards an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Our test isn't a clinical diagnostic - it's a wellness profile of your vaginal microbiome. That said, the picture it gives can be very informative if BV is the question. A microbiome with reduced Lactobacillus and increased Gardnerella, Atopobium, Megasphaera and other BV-associated species often supports a BV interpretation, and your GP can use that alongside your symptoms to decide on treatment. We'd always recommend a clinical conversation alongside the test rather than acting on the result alone.

Ideally no. We’d prefer for you to wait until your bleeding has stopped before you use the swab. We generally advise waiting a week to ensure you are clear, although small amounts of blood are not a problem.

Absolutely - we encourage this. You can download your full report as a PDF from your dashboard and either bring it to your appointment or forward it to your practice. We've designed the report to be readable for both you and a clinician, with the relative abundance data and our interpretation clearly laid out.