Microba Microbiome Explorer – Comprehensive
Price range: $524.00 through $704.00
Australia's most advanced gut microbiome test — using whole-genome metagenomic sequencing to identify over 3,000 microbial species, functional pathways, and community diversity scores. Provides a detailed map of your gut ecosystem far beyond what standard stool tests can reveal.
What is the Microba Microbiome Explorer?
The Microba Microbiome Explorer is Australia's most comprehensive gut microbiome test. Developed by Microba Life Sciences (Brisbane), it uses whole-genome metagenomic sequencing — the most advanced DNA sequencing technology available — to identify and quantify over 3,000 microbial species living in your gut.
Unlike older 16S rRNA tests that can only identify bacteria at a broad genus level, metagenomics reads the entire DNA of every organism in your sample. That means species-level identification, functional pathway analysis, and a far more accurate picture of what your gut microbiome is actually doing — not just what's there.
Is this test for you?
The Microba Explorer is for people who want the most detailed possible picture of their gut ecosystem:
- Chronic bloating, gas, or irregular bowel habits
- IBS, SIBO or functional gut symptoms that haven't resolved with standard treatment
- Inflammatory bowel conditions (Crohn's, ulcerative colitis) — to assess microbial drivers
- Autoimmune conditions where gut permeability is a suspected contributor
- Mood disorders where the gut-brain axis may be involved
- Skin conditions (eczema, acne, rosacea) with suspected gut involvement
- Post-antibiotic recovery — to assess what's been lost and what needs rebuilding
- A baseline before starting a major dietary change or gut-repair protocol
What it measures
Four levels of microbiome analysis — from raw species inventory through to functional capability and clinical pattern recognition.
Microbial Species (3,000+)
Species-level identification of bacteria, archaea, fungi and other microorganisms. Each species is mapped to its known clinical associations — beneficial roles, inflammatory potential, metabolic functions.
Community Diversity
Alpha diversity (richness within your sample) and beta diversity (how your profile compares to healthy reference populations). Low diversity is consistently associated with chronic disease.
Functional Pathways
What your microbiome is functionally capable of — short-chain fatty acid production (butyrate, propionate, acetate), vitamin synthesis (B12, K2, folate), bile acid metabolism, neurotransmitter modulation.
Keystone & Pathogenic Species
Keystone beneficial species (Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Akkermansia muciniphila) and potentially pathogenic species — the species that disproportionately shape gut ecosystem health.
Bacterial & Parasitic Pathogens
Targeted detection of clinically significant pathogens — Vibrio, Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, C. difficile toxin B and pathogenic E. coli strains, plus parasites such as Dientamoeba fragilis, Cryptosporidium and Giardia.
Gut-Lining & Inflammation Markers
Secretory IgA, calprotectin, lactate, LPS (lipopolysaccharide) and pancreatic elastase — the markers that reveal whether your gut barrier is intact, whether there is acute inflammation, and whether your digestive foundations are functioning.
Sample collection
Turnaround time
From the date the laboratory receives your sample.
Samples are processed in Brisbane by Microba Life Sciences — an Australian company and the leading whole-genome metagenomics lab in the Asia-Pacific region.
How it works
Kit dispatched
Your Microba collection kit is posted directly to your door with full instructions.
Collect at home
Follow the simple stool collection protocol.
Post back
Mail the completed kit to Microba using the prepaid return envelope.
Results released
Your report is emailed to you the moment the lab releases it. What happens next depends on your tier —
- Test only: the report is yours to use as you see fit — no consultation included. You can book a separate consultation with Rohan later if you change your mind.
- Test + 60-min Telehealth Consult: once your results land, Rohan will email you a booking link to schedule your Zoom.
- Existing patients of the clinic: results are typically discussed at your next regular appointment as usual.
Why this test, why now?
The gut microbiome is no longer a frontier topic — it sits at the centre of immune function, mental health, metabolic disease, autoimmunity and skin conditions. But standard stool testing tells you almost nothing about it. Whole-genome metagenomics is the only technology that maps what your microbiome actually contains and does at species level.
If you have persistent gut symptoms, an autoimmune condition, or you are about to invest in a serious gut-repair protocol, this is the test that turns guesswork into a map.
Why Elemental Health and Nutrition?
Rohan uses the Microba Explorer as his primary gut microbiome assessment for complex digestive and systemic cases. With Test + 60-min Telehealth Consult, every result is reviewed alongside your symptoms, diet, medication history and other test results. Your appointment delivers a clear, prioritised strategy covering dietary interventions, targeted probiotics, prebiotics and any further testing needed.
