Patent ID: 7785818

Claim:
A method for testing fecal samples from persons for diagnosis, the method comprising: obtaining a fecal sample from a person presenting with symptoms common to inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome; diluting the sample; determining that the sample contains an elevated level of lactoferrin compared to a lactoferrin level in a healthy control; measuring the sample for an elevated level of anti- Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA); measuring the sample for an elevated level of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA); upon determining that the sample contains an elevated level of anti- Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies compared to an anti- Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibody level in a healthy control and not an elevated level of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, diagnosing the person with Crohn's disease; and upon determining that the sample contains an elevated level of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies compared to an anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody level in a healthy control and not an elevated level of anti- Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies, diagnosing the person with ulcerative colitis.