Comprehensive Stool and Microbiota Analysis

The comprehensive stool and microbiota analysis evaluates the full ecosystem of the gut — bacterial diversity, beneficial and pathogenic organism populations, short-chain fatty acid production, digestive enzyme activity, inflammation markers, and intestinal permeability indicators — using a laboratory stool sample analysed with advanced molecular techniques. At this Brno practice, Eva Hajská uses this panel as a foundation for treating chronic digestive disorders, immune dysfunction, skin conditions, fatigue, and mood disturbances that have a known gut-microbiome component. Gut microbiota science has expanded dramatically in the last decade, with the microbiome now understood to influence systemic inflammation, immune calibration, neurotransmitter synthesis, hormonal metabolism, and metabolic function — meaning this test has relevance far beyond gastrointestinal complaints alone.

The comprehensive stool and microbiota analysis offered at Celostní medicína a Akupunktura Brno is one of the most detailed gut health assessments available through integrative medicine practice in the Czech Republic. The test is performed by a specialist laboratory and uses DNA sequencing (16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing or similar metagenomic methods) to characterise the bacterial ecosystem of the gut at a far greater resolution than standard clinical stool cultures, which can only detect a fraction of the microbiome. Typical parameters included in a comprehensive stool panel of this type: **Microbiota composition:** Species-level or genus-level identification and relative abundance of major bacterial phyla (Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria), assessment of beneficial bacteria (Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Akkermansia muciniphila, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii), detection of pathogenic or dysbiotic species, and a diversity index (lower diversity is associated with inflammatory, metabolic, and neurological disease). **Digestive function markers:** Pancreatic elastase-1 (indicator of exocrine pancreatic sufficiency), levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs — butyrate, propionate, acetate — which feed colonocytes and regulate inflammation), bile acid metabolism, and assessment of fat, carbohydrate, and protein digestion completeness. **Inflammation and permeability:** Calprotectin or lactoferrin (markers of intestinal inflammation, elevated in IBD and active infection), zonulin (marker of tight junction integrity and intestinal permeability — 'leaky gut'), and secretory IgA (mucosal immune defence). **Pathogen screening:** Bacteria (H. pylori, Clostridioides difficile, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella), parasites and protozoa (Giardia, Entamoeba, Cryptosporidium, various helminths), and pathogenic fungi (Candida species). At this practice, the test is ordered for patients with complex presentations including: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in remission, chronic bloating and flatulence, recurrent Candida infections (Klára S.'s testimonial describes 10-year-long recurrent yeast infections resolved after treatment), persistent fatigue and brain fog with no clear cause, chronic skin conditions (eczema, psoriasis, acne rosacea) with a suspected gut-skin axis component, autoimmune conditions, food intolerance (often used alongside the Food Detective test), and mood disorders where gut-brain axis dysregulation is suspected. The 14,000 Kč fee covers the collection kit, courier shipping of the sample to the laboratory, full panel analysis, a laboratory report, and a dedicated results consultation with Eva Hajská. She reviews findings against the patient's symptom picture and TCM pattern, then builds a personalised protocol typically combining: dietary adjustment (elimination of feeds for dysbiotic organisms, introduction of fermented and prebiotic foods), targeted probiotic supplementation, gut-healing herbal preparations (often glutamine, zinc carnosine, slippery elm, marshmallow root — or their TCM equivalents), and lifestyle modifications for stress and sleep (given the vagal-nerve gut-brain connection). Collection is straightforward: the patient collects a stool sample at home using a provided sterile kit and posts it to the laboratory within the specified time window. No special dietary preparation is typically required, though some laboratories request avoiding antibiotics, probiotics, or specific foods for a week beforehand — Eva provides specific instructions with the kit. Turnaround from sample receipt at the laboratory to report delivery is typically 3–4 weeks, after which a results consultation is scheduled.