Question: why do you have to take sammples of poo? can poo be dangerous, is so why?

Emma Ashley answered on 14 Mar 2013:

We take samples of poo mainly to check how your digestive system is working. We can check if there’s blood in your poo because if there is, your bowels may be bleeding which isn’t very good. We also measure different enzymes to see how well your pancreas is working, and proteins to see if there is damage to the lining of your small or large intestine. It’s best to measure these in your poo because these compounds don’t really pass into your blood stream and it gives us a better idea of any damage.

When we’re analysing the samples we have to wear a lab coat and gloves. Any sample can be dangerous (including blood and urine) so you have to be careful. We only use a tiny bit of the poo sample for the tests and do most of the testing in the fume cupboard so it doesn’t smell too much. We also have to dispose of the samples in a special bin and we’re always washing our hands and wiping down surfaces!