Abstract: The present invention provides a diagnostic method which may be used to determine the likelihood that a subject with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) will respond to treatment with an IBS intervention diet or faecal microbiota transplant (FMT). In particular, the method may be used to predict, or determine the likelihood of, a positive response of the subject with IBS to treatment with an IBS intervention diet or FMT, especially to determine the likelihood that the dietary intervention or FMT may have a positive (i.e. beneficial) effect on the subject's GI tract, specifically the GI tract microbiota, or other symptoms or complications of IBS (e.g. reducing severity thereof). The method of the present invention is based on analysing the abundance of certain bacteria in GI tract samples, e.g. by nucleic acid analysis.

Abstract: Described herein is a set of oligonucleotide probes. Also included are methods of using the oligonucleotide probes in profiling the microbiota of the GI tract of a subject and methods of diagnosing or monitoring a disease or condition in a subject or predicting or assessing the risk of a subject developing a disease or condition. Kits comprising the oligonucleotide probe set described herein are also provided.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for identifying a neonatal subject at risk for NEC, said method comprising (a) profiling the microbiota in a sample from the GI tract of said subject prior to a conclusive diagnosis of NEC and/or prior to full onset of NEC, (b1) comparing said profile to a standard microbiota profile obtained from corresponding samples from neonatal subjects with NEC or subjects which later developed NEC and determining the degree of correlation between said profile and the standard profile(s), and/or (b2) comparing said profile to a standard microbiota profile obtained from corresponding samples from neonatal subjects which did not develop NEC and determining the degree of correlation between said profile and the standard profile, and (c) identifying the subject as being at risk of NEC if significant correlation is observed in (b1) and/or significant correlation is not seen in (b2).

Abstract: Described herein is a set of oligonucleotide probes. Also included are methods of using the oligonucleotide probes in profiling the microbiota of the GI tract of a subject and methods of diagnosing or monitoring a disease or condition in a subject or predicting or assessing the risk of a subject developing a disease or condition. Kits comprising the oligonucleotide probe set described herein are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of amplifying a target nucleotide sequence in 16S rRNA or in 16S rDNA that includes (a) contacting a sample that includes a 16S rDNA and/or the reverse transcription product of a 16S rRNA with an oligonucleotide primer having the nucleotide sequence of TCC TAC GGG AGG CAG CAG (SEQ ID NO 1) and an oligonucleotide primer comprising the nucleotide sequence of CGG TTA CCT TGT TAC GAC TT (SEQ ID NO 2); and (b) performing a primer-dependent nucleic acid amplification reaction to amplify the target nucleotide sequence in the 16S rRNA or the 16S rDNA. Also included are methods of measuring the prokaryotic content of a sample and/or determining the taxonomic classification of a prokaryotic organism in a sample by detecting and/or analyzing the amplification product.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for identifying a neonatal subject at risk for NEC, said method comprising (a) profiling the microbiota in a sample from the GI tract of said subject prior to a conclusive diagnosis of NEC and/or prior to full onset of NEC, (b1) comparing said profile to a standard microbiota profile obtained from corresponding samples from neonatal subjects with NEC or subjects which later developed NEC and determining the degree of correlation between said profile and the standard profile(s), and/or (b2) comparing said profile to a standard microbiota profile obtained from corresponding samples from neonatal subjects which did not develop NEC and determining the degree of correlation between said profile and the standard profile, and (c) identifying the subject as being at risk of NEC if significant correlation is observed in (b1) and/or significant correlation is not seen in (b2).

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of amplifying a target nucleotide sequence in 16S rRNA or in 16S rDNA that includes (a) contacting a sample comprising a 16S rDNA and/or the reverse transcription product of a 16S rRNA with an oligonucleotide primer comprising the nucleotide sequence of TCC TAC GGG AGG CAG CAG (SEQ ID NO 1) or a nucleotide sequence capable of hybridising under high stringency conditions to the sequence complementary to SEQ ID NO 1 and an oligonucleotide primer comprising the nucleotide sequence of CGG TTA CCT TGT TAC GAC TT (SEQ ID NO 2) or a nucleotide sequence capable of hybridising under high stringency conditions to the nucleotide sequence complementary to SEQ ID NO 2; and (b) performing a primer-dependent nucleic acid amplification reaction to amplify the target nucleotide sequence in the 16S rRNA or the 16S rDNA.