Microbiome Explorer
Full microbiome mapping with results and insights you can trust - designed to evaluate a range of systemic health issues.
Trusted by 4000+ practitioners

Features
See the whole picture of the complex digestive
system with our clinical-grade microbiome tests

Comprehensive coverage
Full microbiome ecosystem mapping, gut physiology panel & pathogen screening - all in one test.

Evidence-based insights
Microbiome research moves quickly. Effortlessly make confident decisions with evidence-based, actionable insights.

Accurate lab results you can trust
Sample collection to lab assays to bioinformatics, our workflow is carefully designed and operated to make sure your patients get the most precise measurements.

Tools built for collaborative care
Refer and access our tests from an easy web portal. Share the live interactive report with allied health practitioners and family members to give patients the support they need.

Choose your level of analysis

Microbiome Explorer
Essentials
For when the relationship between the microbiome and general health is the focus.
Inclusions
16 Microbiome Markers
Microbiome Explorer
Extended
For when gut dysfunction is suspected.
Inclusions
16 Microbiome Markers
+7 Gut Physiology Markers
Microbiome Explorer
Comprehensive
For when gut dysfunction and/or pathogens are suspected.
Inclusions
16 Microbiome Markers
+7 Gut Physiology Markers
+18 Pathogen Markers

Explore the markers
See the individual microbiome, gut physiology and pathogen markers available across Microbiome Explorer
Microbiome Markers (16)
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Acetate producing microbes
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B.fragilis toxin producing microbes
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Beta-glucuronidase producing microbes
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Butyrate producing microbes
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3-indolepropionic acid (IPA) producing microbes
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Hydrogen sulphide producing microbes
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Methane producing archaea
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Microbial diversity
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Hexa-acylated lipopolysaccharide (hexa-LPS) producing microbes
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Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) producing microbes
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Microbial richness
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Mucin consuming microbes
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Oral species
•
Oxalate consuming microbes
•
Propionate producing microbes
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Trimethylamine (TMA) producing microbes
Gut Physiology Markers (7)
•
Faecal occult blood
•
Calprotectin
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Lactoferrin
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Pancreatic elastase
•
Secretory IgA
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Zonulin
•
Faecal pH
Pathogen Markers (18)
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Aeromonas spp.
•
Campylobacter spp.
•
Clostridium difficile toxin B
•
Cryptosporidium spp.
•
Cyclospora cayetanensis
•
Dientamoeba fragilis
•
E. coli O157
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Entamoeba histolytica
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Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC)
•
Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC)
•
Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC)
•
Giardia lamblia
•
Hypervirulent Clostridium difficile
•
Salmonella spp.
•
Shiga Toxin
•
Shigella spp./EIEC
•
Vibrio spp.
•
Yersinia enterocolitica


Chronic bloating, constipation, and food reactivity
Long-term bloating, constipation, and food sensitivities made daily life difficult. Microbiome Explorer revealed microbial and digestive imbalances that had gone undetected, helping to guide integrative care strategies.

Persistent constipation with overlapping pelvic symptoms
Ongoing constipation and bloating continued despite years of treatment. Microbiome Explorer uncovered microbial drivers and pointed to the need for further investigation into pelvic health factors.

Immune-related health challenges without gut symptoms
Despite no persistent gut symptoms, testing revealed inflammation, barrier disruption, and microbial drivers linked with broader immune-related health concerns. Microbiome Explorer insights guided simple steps to support resilience.

Join over 4,000 practitioners

Microba tests are better than just a list of microbes
Microbiome Explorer gives you the insights you need for better care.
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Better science exists.
Your patients deserve it.

Better care in just a few steps
From referral to report, we’re with you every step of the way.
01
Refer a test
Use the Microba Practitioner App to quickly order a test. You can choose if the patient pays or if your clinic pays as part of a holistic care package.
02
Sampling & return
Your patient will receive an easy-to-use at-home sample collection kit in the mail. It will guide them through collecting a sample and returning it to our lab.
03
Review results
You’ll get an email once the interactive report is ready. Book another patient consultation to walk them through the results.
04
Report support
Book a time with one of our Clinical Application Specialist for report interpretation support or guidance on complex cases.

Resources
We’re here for you every step of the way — with simple guides, helpful tools, and practical resources to support your journey to better care.

Related FAQs
Find answers to the questions we hear most often. From our technology and products to accreditation, partnerships and the future of Microba.
Can I still send my Insight sample back?
No — Insight samples can no longer be processed. We know some customers still have kits on hand, but as we communicated to all customers, we're no longer able to accept Insight samples. If you'd like advice on our current testing options, do reach out and we'll guide you through them.
What is Microbiome Explorer Essentials?
Microbiome Explorer Essentials is a comprehensive gut microbiome profile for overall gut health. It uses advanced metagenomic analysis to assess over 28,000 microbial species, including bacteria, fungi, and protists.
Do Microba Microbiome Explorer kits have an expiry date?
Yes — kits should be used before their printed expiry date, and we recommend returning them within a year of receiving them. While kits are stable for an extended period, using them within their expiry ensures the reagents and preservatives remain effective and the collected sample stays stable until testing.
What is Microbiome Explorer Comprehensive?
Microbiome Explorer Comprehensive is our most advanced test. It includes everything in Microbiome Explorer Extended, plus TGA and CE-certified pathogen and parasite detection panels — giving you the deepest possible look into gut health, microbiome activity, inflammation, and infection.
What is Microbiome Explorer Extended?
Microbiome Explorer Extended builds on the Essentials test with added clinical insight. It combines full microbiome profiling with TGA and CE-certified gastrointestinal markers — faecal occult blood, lactoferrin, calprotectin, secretory IgA, pancreatic elastase, and zonulin family peptides.
Are other products in the Microbiome Explorer range available in the UK?
Yes — all three product types are now available for purchase in the UK: Microbiome Explorer Essentials, Extended, and Comprehensive.
Does Microbiome Explorer test for SIBO?
No — Microbiome Explorer doesn't test for SIBO, and we know that can be frustrating because SIBO is difficult to diagnose.
Here's why. SIBO means there are excessive — often gas-producing — colonic microbes in the small intestine. Microbiome Explorer looks at microbes in the distal colon, and we can't assume the microbes there are also present in the small intestine. The two environments are different.
If SIBO is suspected, patients should be referred for further testing. It's worth noting that there's currently no validated gold standard for SIBO testing across the field.
Does Microbiome Explorer test for H. pylori?
Microbiome Explorer doesn't directly test for H. pylori, though here's how it works in practice.
H. pylori will only show up if it's present at over 0.01% relative abundance. If a patient has an infection but it doesn't appear, it may be because the DNA has degraded and isn't detectable in stool. And because H. pylori mostly lives in the stomach lining — and we test the microbiome of the lower large intestine — it's uncommon to detect it in stool.
That said, if it is there in higher abundance, our metagenomics technology will typically find it. The gold standard for detection remains the Helicobacter breath test.
Are Microba Microbiome Explorer services available outside Australia?
The Microbiome Explorer range is currently available in Australia and the United Kingdom.
In Australia, all three tests are available to practitioners — Essentials, Extended, and Comprehensive. In the UK, only the Comprehensive test is available, and it can be ordered by UK-based practitioners for UK clients.
For international referrals, you can refer the Essentials test to overseas clients from your practitioner portal. The Essentials swab doesn't contain a live sample and remains stable for up to six weeks at room temperature, so these kits can be shipped internationally and returned to our lab without issue. That makes Essentials the only suitable option for Australian practitioners referring clients outside Australia, including to the UK.
We know people around the world are interested in our services. At this stage, access is limited to patients within Australia and the UK, and testing must be organised through a qualified healthcare professional.
What are the different types of kits available?
There are three levels of Microbiome Explorer testing, plus the MetaPanel test.
Microbiome Explorer Essentials gives you a comprehensive gut microbiome profile, assessing over 28,000 microbial species — bacteria, fungi, and protists.
Microbiome Explorer Extended includes everything in Essentials, plus TGA and CE-certified gastrointestinal markers — faecal occult blood, lactoferrin, calprotectin, secretory IgA, pancreatic elastase, and zonulin family peptides.
Microbiome Explorer Comprehensive is the most advanced option. It includes all the GI markers plus TGA and CE-certified pathogen and parasite detection panels, for a deep dive into gut health, functional microbiome activity, inflammation, and infectious organisms.
MetaPanel is a separate in-house diagnostic test available through Sonic Healthcare in Australia. It reports on 175 GI targets — including pathogens, virulence factors, and antibiotic resistance genes — with results reviewed by a pathologist.










