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Until quite recently it was assumed that healthy urine was sterile.
With the advent of DNA based testing it’s now apparent that mixed populations of bacteria, yeast and other small microbes occur naturally in most people’s bladders. This collection of organisms is called the bladder or urine microbiome. The vagina has its own collection of microbes which are often very similar to the ones found in the urine of the same person; this is the vaginal microbiome.
Scientific research is still investigating what effect having different types of microbes, their abundance and the overall make-up of communities have on bladder or vaginal health. Some are thought to be harmless, some actively help protect against infection whilst others may cause symptoms. Bladder microbiomes will be different from person to person and may change over time.
The female bladder microbiome is heavily influenced by the vaginal and gut microbiomes. For individual microbes it seems that location is important; bacteria that have an important job in one location can be problematic if accidentally introduced into a different space. This is especially true of urine infections which often involve the unintentional spread of a bacteria from the gut, e.g. E coli, where it might be doing useful work, into the bladder where it can cause harm.
The science of microbiome analysis and the role they play in health is still new and there is a lot yet to understand.
Our UTI test collects DNA from any bacteria, yeast and other microbes.
We then analyse it and use the information to find unique matches to our database of over 4,000 different microbial species including bacteria and yeasts. This allows us to build up a highly accurate list of all the organisms present.
We also use an internal calibrator to estimate how many cells of each species were present in your sample. This gives us a quantitative and highly accurate profile of the full microbiome it contained.
We have a couple of cartoon explainer videos on our site which may help you understand our system better.
Our method was developed as an alternative to the way the NHS diagnoses urine infections. This 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 either 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 AND accurately reporting their levels is crucial information for healthcare providers. Complete data given in a clear form. That's what makes our test better than others.
Our test is capable of routinely identifying organisms present at only a thousand, or even hundred cells per mL for a urine test or per swab for others.
This is about x100 to x1000 times more sensitive than the standard NHS culture tests.
I’m afraid not.
Our testing service is not currently accredited to work directly with the NHS so it cannot be run as an NHS diagnostic. We are working hard towards getting this to happen though.
In the meantime we provide a method for you to print and share your results with your GP who may, or may not, use the information to guide further tests or treatments at their own discretion.
Bladder and vaginal infections affect people regardless of age, race or social status and we are acutely aware that the cost of our testing system may be beyond the reach of many sufferers.
Our organization tries hard to make this powerful new technology available directly but unfortunately new high-tech services such as these are expensive to run
We are constantly striving to provide this service for the least cost so we have set our price at a level where we can continue to operate.
Hopefully, over-time, the operating costs of our service will reduce and we can pass these savings on to customers.
We are also working hard to try to get to a position where our tests can be available within the NHS or through private health care providers but this process is likely to take a long time.
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.
Yes.
Our testing service works well with male urine samples too. If you have symptoms or recurrent symptoms of UTI please send us a urine sample for analysis.
Yes - the vaginal and urinary microbiome tests are non-invasive and can be done during pregnancy. If you're concerned about a specific issue (e.g. recurrent UTI, BV, or fertility-related questions), we'd suggest taking the test when you're experiencing your concern and sharing the result with your obstetric team, who can use it alongside their clinical assessment.
Very much so. The vaginal microbiome changes significantly around and after menopause, often with reduced Lactobacillus and increased diversity that can predispose to discomfort, recurrent UTIs and atrophy-related symptoms. Many of our customers in this stage of life find the test particularly informative, especially if they're considering or already using vaginal oestrogen and probiotic pessary products — the test can help track the microbiome's response over time.
Yes. When you place the order, use your own details for billing and the recipient's details for shipping. If you'd like a gift message included, drop us a note when you order and we'll add it.
A few things worth knowing if you're buying for someone else: our test is most useful to the person taking it; we won't share results with anyone other than the person who registered the kit; and our refund policy applies to the original purchaser only, so any qualifying refund will go back to your card.
We currently check each sample for around 4,000 different species of bacteria, 300 types of yeast and 300 species of Archaea. A full list can be found in our 'Learn' section. All detected organisms are reported to species level — our report will never list unknown members of a particular bacterial family.
Yes.
We check all our samples for over 4,000 organisms including these species. You can find a full list of all these by clicking here.
Some DNA-based testing labs offer advice based on the presence of known genes that can change the response of bacteria to antibiotics. We do screen for these genes, but currently do not report the results as they only represent a fraction of the genes that cause antibiotic resistance, so reporting them could be misleading.
While our sequencing technology can pick up many of the organisms that cause sexually transmitted infections - including bacteria such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis and the organisms behind some forms of urethritis or PID - we don't include STI findings on your report.
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 you have is crucial to accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
Any sample you submit will have some cells from your own body, which in turn will contain your DNA.
Our method works hard to remove your cells from the sample at the earliest stage of processing whilst leaving the microbial cells intact.
This means that the vast majority of DNA sequences we get back are from your microbiome, not from you.
We will never use our method to look at or analyse any of your personal DNA that may remain in the sample.
We are currently able to test urine or vaginal swabs samples.
We are always looking at other applications for our exciting new tech so please keep checking back for new services.
We have done experiments that suggest most bacteria are in the heavier material contained in the wee. This is most likely to be chunks of bacterial biofilms or sloughed skin cells from the bladder lining. Our process breaks open and degrades the skin cells to release any bacteria ready for testing.
Yes, it is quite common and perfectly natural to see bacteria and yeast in the vaginal microbiome appearing in the urine too. There seems to be a high degree of overlap in the vaginal and urine microbiomes of the same person. This science is still new and a greater understanding of this relationship will likely be useful to healthcare providers.
Different species of bacteria and yeast have different characteristics.
Some will exist floating freely but many of the bacteria known to cause UTIs use a type of 'glue' they produce to attach themselves to the cells lining your bladder. This glue can also be used to stick the bacteria to each other and encase themselves in larger protective capsules called biofilms.
Other bacteria are known to invade, live and grow within the bladder lining itself.
These methods allow bacteria to thrive inside the highly challenging environment of the urinary tract where there is a constant risk of being flushed out.
Our lab processes samples Monday to Friday. If you have a query, our team is available 8:00 am – 4:30 pm Mon–Fri, excluding bank holidays.
As a laboratory service rather than a clinical one, we are not in a position to offer personalised medical advice. For service-related questions, please contact us via our contact form and we will respond within our working hours (8:00 am – 4:30 pm, Mon–Fri). For medical guidance, please consult your GP or a qualified healthcare professional.
We will dispatch your kit on the same working day you order it as long as we receive your order within our office hours (8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday excluding Bank Holidays). Otherwise it will be dispatched first thing on the next working day.
UK orders are dispatched using 1st class Royal Mail so you can normally expect your kit to arrive within 1-2 working days after we send them.
International orders are dispatched using FedEx International Priority First service. This normally takes 2-3 working days but can vary based on country. You will receive tracking information to allow you to follow the parcel on it's way to you.
Please note that our office is shut at weekends so orders placed after our office hours on Friday will not be dispatched until Monday morning.
Your kit is valid for 6 months from the date of purchase. If your kit is close to expiry and you haven't yet used it, get in touch.
Your tracking link is in the dispatch confirmation email we sent when your kit went out. If you can't find it, search your inbox for our domain or check your spam folder. If it's still not there, email us with your order number and we'll resend it.
We ship to the UK; EU (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden); and Canada, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.
Availability is shown at checkout - enter your address to confirm shipping options and delivery times. If your country is not listed or not available at checkout, please contact our customer service team at hello@digital-microbiology.com and we’ll advise on possible options.
We are now able to serve customers in 30+ countries across Europe and Canada.
Kits purchased by international customers will be charged an international shipping supplement at checkout.
Once purchased, we use the FedEx International Priority service to ship your sample kit direct to your address. This normally takes 2-3 working days and you will be sent tracking information by email to follow its progress.
Once you have collected your samples we then use the same service to return the package to our lab.
This is already paid for by the extra shipping costs and you do not need to pay again.
Once you are ready to return the sample there are 3 options:
Contact us directly on hello@digital-microbiology.com or using this link to our support page and we will arrange the pick-up for you.
Contact FedEx directly to arrange a pick-up from your address using the information emailed to you.
Drop the package at a FedEx drop off location (please make sure they accept international parcels though).
All the paperwork to get the sample through customs (both on the way to you and on the way back to the lab) is already attached electronically to the shipping labels so you don't have to fill out any annoying paperwork or pay import duties.
When the return package is picked-up you will receive tracking updates by email to follow its journey to the lab. You will also get an email confirming safe arrival of the samples.
Typically it takes 2-3 working days to return to us from anywhere in the EU. We use preservatives to protect the samples during transport so they arrive in our lab ready to process, even if there is a delay.
Like our samples in the UK though, it's always better to return the sample on a Monday as weekend's can slow things down and cause unnecessary delay.
It varies by country, and the rules have changed for some destinations recently. Customers in the EU sometimes see a small VAT charge on import; customers in the US, Canada and similar typically don't. Any duty payable is the recipient's responsibility — please check your local rules if you're unsure. We'll mark the kit clearly so customs can process it quickly.
Yes. Kits ship in plain outer packaging with no scientific or medical branding visible from the outside. Postage labels list us as "DM" rather than our full name.
First, please check the tracking link in your dispatch confirmation email - UK delivery typically takes 1–3 working days. If tracking shows the kit was delivered but you don't have it, check with neighbours and any safe places where it might have been left. If it's been over 5 working days (UK) or 21 days (international) without delivery, please email us and we'll either investigate with the courier or arrange a replacement.
Get in touch as soon as you notice. If you can, attach a photo of the damage so we can flag it to our supplier. We'll send a replacement kit straight away at no charge. If you spot a defect before using it (a broken swab, an expired component, missing instructions), the same applies — email hello@digital-microbiology.com with your order number.
Before dispatch. Orders can only be cancelled for a full refund if they haven't yet been dispatched from our team. Please contact us as soon as you can at hello@digital-microbiology.com with your order number and we'll do our best to help — but a full refund isn't guaranteed once we've started preparing your kit.
After dispatch. Orders that have already been dispatched are eligible for a partial refund: the amount you paid minus a £20 fulfilment fee per kit. This covers the cost of preparing and dispatching your kit. To qualify, your sample must not yet have been posted to the lab, and you must request the refund within 14 days of receiving your kit.
Each kit has a unique QR code positioned inside the box. Scan it (or visit your account dashboard) and follow the prompts to link the kit to your account. Registration is what tells us which sample belongs to whom, so please don't post your sample back without registering it 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!
Ideally 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.
Please follow our simple instructions.
We provide an intimate wipe with our kits.
We recommend using it to carefully clean around the urethra, the bit where the wee comes out, before collecting your sample.
This brand of wipes has been chosen carefully to be as delicate as possible as we appreciate that having an active infection can make the vulva highly sensitive.
Please use the pop-up cardboard ‘PeeCanter’ container to collect your sample before decanting it into the sample tube to keep it as clean as possible.
It depends what you're hoping to learn;
If you want to understand what's happening during a suspected infection, the most useful time to test is while you're experiencing symptoms — even if it’s mid-treatment.
If you want to see how your microbiome looks after a course of antibiotics, we'd generally suggest waiting around 7 days after the final dose before collecting a sample to give the treatment every chance to work.
Either way, please don't deviate from any treatment your GP or specialist has prescribed.
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.
This should not affect our testing.
D-mannose is thought to help prevent some bacteria such as E. coli from attaching to the cells lining your urinary tract, which it needs to do to become a problematic infection.
Our test will see E coli in your wee sample regardless of whether it’s attached to sloughed skin cells or freely floating.
If you're using a topical vaginal product (an oestrogen cream, antifungal pessary, or similar), we'd suggest waiting 1–2 days after your last application before swabbing. This gives the product time to clear so it doesn't contaminate the sample or transiently mask what's there. If you're on a long-term treatment, the cleanest moment to swab is just before your next dose, when the previous application has had longest to wear off.
If you are using a probiotic pessary then we’d suggest waiting a week or so after your last use before collecting your sample. The species used in the probiotic will still likely show in your sample but waiting will reduce the chance they will swamp the results.
We'd suggest waiting 7–14 days after your last application of a vaginally administered probiotic before swabbing. The reason is technical: many probiotics contain huge quantities of both live and dead bacteria. Some of these will hang around, the majority will wash out with time. Waiting a couple of weeks lets the species that are introduced clear a little so we can see what's actually living in your microbiome rather than what you've recently added to it.
No — oral probiotics don't usually affect the vaginal or urinary microbiome significantly, so it's fine to continue taking them. The picture is different with vaginally administered probiotics (pessaries, suppositories, gels), where we'd recommend waiting around 7–14 days after the last application so that we better see your own living microbiome.
We'd generally suggest waiting 1–2 days after penetrative sex before swabbing. Semen has its own microbiome and barrier lubricants can transiently affect the vaginal flora, so a swab taken immediately afterwards may not reflect your usual microbiome. If you've used a condom and no lubricant, the effect is much smaller, but a short wait still gives the most representative sample.
This should not affect our testing.
Things happen - swabs break, samples get spilled, sometimes you spot a small amount of blood you weren't expecting. If anything goes wrong during collection, please don't post a compromised sample. Email us at hello@digital-microbiology.com with your order number and a brief note on what happened, and we'll send you a fresh kit free of charge. We'd much rather you sent us a good sample than try to salvage a problematic one.
Don't use a broken swab - get in touch and we'll send a new one.
No problem at all - please don't try to salvage it. Email us with your order number and we'll send a replacement kit.
Please don't post a sample that wasn't taken from the right area — the result wouldn't represent your vaginal or urinary microbiome accurately. Get in touch and we'll send you a fresh kit at no charge.
A small amount of blood is usually fine and shouldn't affect your results. If you're spotting (rather than on your full period), it's still okay to send the sample. The thing to avoid is swabbing during heavy menstrual flow, as large amounts of blood can interfere with the lab processes and prevent full analysis. If you're unsure, send us a quick message before posting and we can advise.
Get in touch and we'll work it out - depending on the timing, we can often send a replacement pH test on its own rather than a whole new kit. Let us know with your order number and roughly when the test was used.
Your account is created automatically when you place your first order - login details are emailed to you. You can sign in at digital-microbiology.com/sign-in. If you've forgotten your password, use the "reset password" link on the sign-in page.
Yes - given the sensitive nature of microbiome testing, we're very happy for you to register your kit under a pseudonym. The only thing we'd ask is that you use the same pseudonym consistently across all your communications with us, so we can match your sample back to the right account when your results come through.
Before dispatch. If you cancel within 24 hours of placing the order and we haven't yet dispatched your kit, we can issue a full refund.
After dispatch, kit not yet used. We can refund the kit price minus a £20 fulfilment fee, provided your sample hasn't yet been posted to the lab and you contact us within 14 days of receiving your kit.
After sample sent. Once your sample is in the post to us, we're unable to offer refunds.
Faulty kits. If your kit arrives damaged, we'll send a replacement provided you contact us within 30 days of receiving the kit.
To request a refund, email hello@digital-microbiology.com with your order number. Qualifying refunds are processed back to your original payment method within 14 working days.
Not yet - but we’re currently building a curated network of trusted healthcare practitioners who use our tests as part of their patient care. If you’re interested in joining the waiting list or receiving updates as the programme develops, please complete our practitioner interest form here.
We take complaints seriously and aim to respond within one working day. Please email hello@digital-microbiology.com with your order number and a description of the issue. If your complaint relates to clinical interpretation of your results, our scientific team will respond directly.
Yes. Although this means the sample will be in the post for longer as our lab is closed at weekends and bank holidays.
We add preservatives to the sample tubes to prevent microbes growing during transport so this should not be a problem.
However, to be safe we recommend that, if possible, you wait until the start of the week or if you’ve already taken your sample, package it up and store it carefully in the fridge over the weekend until posting.
Outbound kits go via Royal Mail Tracked 24, with a tracking link emailed to you on dispatch. Return postage to the lab is also tracked, included with your kit. Tracked postage is what gives us the ability to investigate if anything goes wrong in transit, so please do post via the prepaid envelope rather than your own — it's the only way we can confirm what happened if a sample doesn't reach us.
Yes, they can do.
However, we use preservatives in our collection tubes for urine and swab samples that minimise onward-growth.
Not all testing services use preservatives which can allow the make-up of the microbes in the sample to change before they are tested.
Our method ensures that the levels of microbes we see in the lab are much closer to the levels found in the fresh samples.
Every kit comes with tracked Royal Mail return postage, so we can see if your sample is on its way to us. If it doesn't arrive, please contact us and we'll investigate and arrange a replacement where appropriate.
Once samples are received by our lab they are processed and the results released to your personal account between 2 and 5 days later.
The exact timing of this depends on the day your sample arrives and the workload in our lab at the time.
We always strive to process your sample and release results as quickly as possible.
When your results are ready you will get an email alert. Log into your account to see the results of all your tests, along with your symptom data and any antibiotic treatments you told us about, in one clear, easy to use and secure website.
Each test will list all microbes detected along with their quantity measured in cells per mL (for urine) or cells per swab (for vaginal swab).
We also provide notes and advice about the bacteria detected along with antibiotic treatment options for any that look to be good candidates for causing your symptoms.
You can choose to share your results with your health care professional by printing them or using a link to share them electronically.
If you test with us again then all results will be displayed on the same page allowing you to build up a full testing history in one place.
There isn't a fixed schedule — it depends on what you're tracking. If you're investigating ongoing symptoms or watching the effect of a treatment, testing every 4–8 weeks tends to give a useful picture without too much noise. If you're stable and just want a periodic check-in, every 3–6 months is more typical. Customers often find the most value in testing alongside meaningful changes (a new treatment, end of an antibiotic course, a symptom) rather than on a fixed calendar.
Occasionally we see samples where no bacteria are detected.
This is especially true in healthy male urine samples where bacterial levels can be very low.
In female urine samples we normally only see this if the sample is excessively dilute or if the donor has used lots of different antibiotics over a long time period leading to loss of their urinary microbiome.
Yes, there is always a chance that something will be missed. No testing system is completely bullet-proof.
However, we have done everything we can think of to ensure that all organisms present are detected. We also provide you with all the data we get, even if sometimes this can feel a little complicated.
We feel you should see the full contents of your profiled microbiome and then try to support that with notes to help you understand your results, what might be normal and what might be relevant to your condition.
Unlike other testing systems, we do not filter our list to just select organisms we think might be of interest to you as we feel this can heavily bias modern detection methods so that they are not as useful as they should be.
Yes, they should. It could be hard to differentiate a chronic and acute infection from a single test point.
No. You may still have an infection. There are several reasons why we may not have detected it including:
The sample is excessively dilute.
You are currently on treatment that’s suppressing the infection.
The infection is very new and the build-up of bacteria isn’t sufficient yet to see.
Honestly, we could have missed it. No testing system is bullet-proof and we try our hardest to reduce this possibility but we cannot discount it.
If there are significant levels of bacteria causing an infection then we should see them.
However, we have found that if symptoms are very new they may be caused by levels of bacteria too low to register on our UTI tests.
Occasionally we find only high levels of bacteria that are traditionally thought to be benign. In these cases it’s hard to know if your symptoms are caused by something we haven’t detected or if there is a reason why, for some people, a ‘normal’ bacterial species might be causing symptoms.
At Digital Microbiology, we find out the exact identity and quantity of every microbe in your sample.
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 treatments are most likely to be appropriate.
E. coli is the most common cause of uncomplicated UTIs and is detected in a meaningful fraction of urine samples we test. Its presence doesn't always mean an active infection — low levels can be found in healthy samples too. What tends to matter is the relative abundance and whether you have symptoms. A high E. coli reading alongside UTI symptoms often supports a clinical UTI picture; an incidental finding at low levels in someone without symptoms is less clear-cut. We'd suggest discussing the result with your GP for a clinical interpretation.
Gardnerella vaginalis is one of the bacteria most often associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV), but it can also be present in healthy microbiomes at low levels. What tends to matter most for BV is the balance: is Gardnerella appearing alongside reduced Lactobacillus and increased diversity? At a high relative abundance, especially with other key species, it often supports a BV picture. Your GP can use the result alongside any symptoms you have to decide what treatment, if any, makes sense.
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.
Enterococcus faecalis is a common gut commensal that can sometimes appear in urinary or vaginal samples. At low levels it's often incidental; at high relative abundance, particularly alongside symptoms, it can support a clinical UTI picture (Enterococcus is one of the bacteria more likely to be involved in catheter-associated or recurrent UTIs). It's also sometimes resistant to first-line antibiotics, which makes it worth flagging to your GP if it's appearing prominently in your results.
Klebsiella species (most commonly K. pneumoniae) can show up in urinary microbiome samples, particularly in people with recurrent or complicated UTIs. At low levels it can be incidental; at higher abundance, especially alongside symptoms, it can support a clinical UTI picture. Klebsiella is sometimes more antibiotic-resistant than E. coli, so it's a result worth sharing with your GP if it's appearing prominently. We can tell you what we see; the treatment decision sits with your clinician.
Several Streptococcus species can appear in urinary and vaginal samples. Group B Streptococcus (S. agalactiae) is the one most clinically relevant, particularly during pregnancy, and is worth flagging to your GP or obstetric team if it appears prominently. Lower-abundance Streptococcus species are often incidental. As with any specific finding, the relative abundance and your symptom context matter more than the presence alone.