Microbiome analysis includes examining both fungal and bacterial numbers in human beings by reviewing their metabolic activity and genetic material, DNA. Microbiome analysis can help physicians determine the presence of changes in the microbial numbers in a human body that could mean an illness or a health condition. Doctors use microbiology tests and molecular biology lab services to conduct microbiome analysis.
How microbiology tests help in carrying out microbiome analysis
Microbiology tests are several laboratory tests used to determine the availability of specific viruses, bacteria, and other contaminants in specimens. It involves small quantities of samples (biological material) that can be obtained from the patient or another source. Various techniques and procedures assess the sample for bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. The results can then determine what the patient has been infected with. The medical practitioner can then scrutinize the effects of the illness. Microbiology tests can write off infections such as malaria, tuberculosis, and other diseases and determine the condition of multiple conditions, including food poisoning, skin infections, and urinary tract infections.
Molecular biology lab services
Because microbiology involves reviewing DNA, molecular biology lab services are critical to identifying the genetic material. Medical practitioners use specialized equipment to carry out DNA tests and figure out specific microbes (microbiome analysis) to identify their characteristics and species. Doctors can use techniques such as Polymerase Chain Reaction, Southern Blotting, Northern Blotting, and restriction endonuclease digestion to analyze the DNA. They can then use the data to determine if there is a possibility of transmission among animals and humans exposed to the same bacterium. Molecular biology lab services also include RNA testing to determine infections in humans and RNA testing to determine animal parasites and diseases. Molecular biologists can use the data from molecular biology lab services to establish new vaccines or drugs for treating various diseases.