Fecal pH test

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A fecal pH test (or faecal pH test) is one where a specimen of feces is tested for acidity in order to diagnose a medical condition. Human feces is normally alkaline. An acidic stool can indicate a digestive problem such as lactose intolerance[1] or a contagion such as E. coli or rotavirus.

Test procedure

The test is fast and can be performed in a doctor's office. A patient must not be receiving antibiotics. At least half a milliliter of feces is collected and a strip of nitrazine paper is dipped in the sample and compared against a color scale. A pH of less than 5.5 indicates an acidic sample.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Point-of-Care Testing, Fecal pH Measurement".
  2. ^ "eMedicine - Gastroenteritis, Bacterial : Article by Jennifer Lynn Bonheur, MD".

See also