A stool test is a diagnostic procedure that involves analyzing fecal matter, or poop, to check for signs of infection, inflammation, or disease. The specific analysis depends on a person’s symptoms ...

Microscopy and DNA tests are both viable, but sensitivity, cost, and availability vary ...

A new study notes that higher levels of a routine stool test marker of gut inflammation is strongly associated with an increased risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) flares, even when people were ...

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) causes clay-colored, greasy stools that smell foul. A stool test to check for low levels of the elastase enzyme can help diagnose the condition. The pancreas ...

Regular stool tests already used in NHS care, combined with dietary information, could help identify people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) at higher risk of relapse, a major study appearing in ...

If you are having digestive symptoms, your doctor may prescribe an at-home stool test, in which you collect stool samples and send them to a lab or bring them to your doctor’s office for analysis.

Lindsay Curtis is a health & medical writer in South Florida. She worked as a communications professional for health nonprofits and the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of ...