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If you've ordered an Evvy test, you're already getting the world's most comprehensive at-home vaginal microbiome test with the Evvy Vaginal Health Test, which screens for 700+ bacteria and fungi in the vaginal microbiome.
But if you’re symptomatic, interested in STI testing, or looking for expedited turnaround for preliminary results, we recommend adding our Expanded PCR Panel to your Evvy test.
What is the full list of things the Expanded PCR Panel tests for?
- 4 STIs: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Trichomonas vaginalis (“trich”), Mycoplasma genitalium
- 10 Antibiotic Resistances: Aminoglycoside, Bactrim, Beta-lactam, Carbapenem, Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase CTX-M, Macrolide, Methicillin, Quinolone, Tetracycline, Vancomycin
- 11 Common Microbes: Candida albicans, Gardnerella vaginalis, Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Mobiluncus curtisii, Mobiluncus mulieris, Mycoplasma hominis, Prevotella bivia, Streptococcus agalactiae (group B), Ureaplasma parvum, Ureaplasma urealyticum. Note: these microbes are also tested for via metagenomics in our full vaginal microbiome test, but the Expanded PCR Panel tests for them via PCR with a 1-3 day turnaround
A note on PCR and Ureaplasma and Mycoplasma
Research has shown that Mollicutes (such as Ureaplasma or Mycoplasma) are often present in the vaginal microbiome in very low amounts. If you are interested in testing for Mollicutes, please add our Expanded PCR Panel to your Vaginal Health Test, which is designed to detect these bacteria at lower levels. Also, since Mycoplasma genitalium is considered a reportable STI, it is only tested for via our Expanded PCR Panel.
How is the Expanded PCR Panel different from Evvy’s current Vaginal Health Test?
The Evvy Vaginal Health Test uses a technology called metagenomics to test for all bacteria and fungi in the vaginal microbiome (excluding STIs). The Expanded PCR Panel tests for 11 of the most common of these microbes with a technology called PCR, which adds STI and antibiotic resistance testing, as well as returns preliminary PCR results within 1-3 days! Note that we will retest for these 11 microbes again when we run our Vaginal Health Test.
If you choose to add the Expanded PCR Panel, your final results will combine the outputs of all tests to give you the most comprehensive picture of your microbiome.
Why PCR?
While metagenomics is the most comprehensive way of testing the vaginal microbiome, PCR is what is often used at the doctor’s office today. It’s a form of testing designed to look for a very specific genetic primer.
Because of this, PCR is great at confirming the presence of very specific microbes (like STIs) and has a super fast turnaround because it’s only looking for a limited number of primers (instead sequencing all bacteria and fungi present, like metagenomics.) It also provides information on microbial load, which can help inform if anything in your microbiome is present in higher or lower amounts than is normal. Microbial load can especially help illuminate conditions like cytolytic vaginosis (CV), bacterial vaginosis (BV), and yeast infections.
Will I need to take more than one swab to get Expanded PCR Panel results?
No! The Expanded PCR Panel is a set of 3 additional tests that can be run on your same sample, so your Evvy test will look and function the same way it always has: as one easy, at-home swab.
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