Stool For Stercobilinogen Test

Fecal urobilinogen known as Stercobilinogen is a chemical that is created by bacteria in the gut. It is a byproduct of broken down haemoglobin. It is the chemical reaction of Stercobilinogen that gives the faeces the brown colour. In the human body, the pigment bilirubin is created from the breakdown of the heme; Stercobilinogen is produced in the intestinal tract as a reaction with the bilirubin. Stercobilinogen is excreted either from the liver or the kidney. However more than half of the urobilinogen re-circulates in the liver and then turns to the intestine.

An easy to use kit is given by the pathology lab to collect your stool sample. Random stool samples can be taken. Depending upon from case to case, three consecutive stools are recommended. The patient is expected to carry the clean, dry stool container in the washroom when he wishes to pass his motions. The container is a pre-labelled stool sample kit, stating the name, age and doctor's name. The patient must wear a latex glove to collect the stool. A hat-shaped plastic lid may be used to collect the sample. It can be placed over the toilet bowl. The patient can pass the stool on the plastic sheet where with the help of the spatula provided in the kit, he can manage to put the sample in the container. The stool collected ideally has to be in a dry urine free container, Contamination of the stool with urine or water may lead to a repeated test. For infants, the stool collected can be made from the diaper. The specimen is taken to the laboratory for examination. The results are expected to arrive within 3-4 days.