GA-Map®

Dysbiosis Test Lx

Simplifying microbiota testing

Microbiota and dysbiosis

The medical and scientific community is showing a great deal of interest towards a condition known as dysbiosis, which can be described as a microbial imbalance within the body.

Dysbiosis of the gut flora has been linked to numerous medical conditions including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn’s disease (CD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), obesity, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and type I and type II diabetes.

The microbiota provides essential roles in normal physiology such as vitamin synthesis, digestion and immunity. Bacteria that make up the human microbiota in the gut outnumber human cells 10:1, and it has been shown that alterations in the gut microbiome are associated with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID), obesity, diabetes and cancer. Through microbiota research, emerging strategies to treat FGID - such as the use of pre- and probiotics, antibiotics and faecal microbiota transplants (FMT) - are bringing new options for patients and providers dealing with chronic digestive disorders.

Analyse your patients' microbiota

Traditionally, the identification of dysbiosis has been based on breath-testing methods and small-bowel culture techniques, which are insufficiently validated and give a less thorough picture of the gut microbiota. To overcome these challenges, BIOHIT, together with Norwegian company Genetic Analysis AS, has introduced the GA-map® Dysbiosis Test Lx, which is the first CE-marked gut microbiota DNA analysis tool to identify and characterise dysbiosis from a faecal sample. This test provides a rapid, high-throughput analysis of a large number of individual faecal samples, and provides a standardised approach to microbiome analysis.

Microbiota analytical services at BIOHIT HealthCare

Clinicians and practitioners can arrange for patient samples to be sent to our laboratory for microbiota analysis using the GA-Map® Dysbiosis Test Lx. Sending samples to us for analysis is easy, and can be used for routine clinical applications or for research. The main benefit of using the GA-Map® technology over other applications (e.g. sequencing) is in the standardisation and consistency of results, with simple data reduction. Results are presented in an easy to read format, and include a comprehensive profile of the patient's microbiota. Results also include an indication of dysbiosis based on the relative abundance of individual bacteria compared to a healthy (control) population.

Access the service in four simple steps:

1 Fill out the test request form

Your patients will need to obtain a completed test request form before taking the GA-Map® Dysbiosis Test Lx. The form should be completed by both the requesting physician and the patient.

Test request form

2 Order sample collection kit

Once your patient has a completed test request form, it's time to order their sample collection kit. This can be done via our online order form or through your practice.

Order kit

3 Patient collects a stool sample

Give the patient a sample collection kit, along with a copy of their completed test request form, and they can collect a stool sample in the comfort of their home. The patient must include the test request form when they package their sample for shipping.

4 Send sample to our lab

Patients can book our courier to pick up their sample at a convenient time from a nominated address, by completing our easy to use webform, or by calling customer services.

Book courier

For research

Faecal microbiota analyses require expert input to get high quality and reproducible data. Accessing a microbiota analytical service - or setting up the technology to perform your own analyses - can be a costly process and often lacks the valuable experience needed to interpret the data.

We can help with research applications that require professional microbiota analysis delivered by experts in the field. We collaborate with researchers like you to build the evidence needed to bring benefit to patients from diagnostic and therapeutic interventions that involve analysis and manipulation of the microbiome.

If you are interested in analysing microbiota as part of your clinical or academic research, let us know and we will be glad to help.