TESTING AND THE CLINICAL UTILITY
OF FECAL BIOMARKERS

“Lactoferrin can be detected using simple and cheap techniques and it has excellent stability in feces over a long period of time.¹”

Lactoferrin offers many advantages over fecal leukocyte
counts as an indicator of intestinal inflammation.

1. Stability
2. Speed
3. Cost
4. Flexibility

The lactoferrin glycoprotein is stable for up to 2 weeks at room temperature, allowing for longer specimen storage. Detection does not require intact cells, temperature regulation, manual counts, or excessive personnel time.

Unlike fecal leukocytes, lactoferrin is not degraded by toxins produced by pathogens such as C. difficile and lactoferrin assays can be run on solid or liquid samples.

“When compared to the smear
exam for WBCs, it became
apparent that the sensitivity
of the Leuko EZ was much higher
than the smear method.²”

Abdominal pain and diarrhea are some of the most
common complaints seen in primary care and
gastroenterology. Fecal lactoferrin testing can assist
in the diagnosis and management of inflammatory
intestinal conditions.

Unlike other fecal biomarkers that fluctuate due
to environmental factors, lactoferrin levels remain
stable unless released by activated neutrophils.
The detection of elevated levels of lactoferrin above the
normal baseline can serve as a diagnostic tool for
differentiating inflammatory from noninflammatory diarrheas.