COMPANY CLOSED Review: Ubiome SmartJane PCR tests – how useful?

TL;DR

The Ubiome SmartJane PCR test offers a comprehensive overview of vaginal microflora, targeting microbes linked to reproductive diseases in women, including strains of HPV, STIs, and bacteria related to bacterial vaginosis and aerobic vaginitis. However, with Ubiome’s closure and limitations in detecting yeasts and other pathogens, the utility of SmartJane tests for diagnosing vulvovaginal symptoms is nuanced.

Please note that the Ubiome company has declared bankruptcy and was raided by the FBI. As a result, the company is no longer offering any tests. For more information please see this news article.

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The Ubiome SmartJane PCR test of vaginal microflora looks for the microbes associated with certain reproductive system diseases or conditions in women.

The SmartJane test results overview the following conditions and your risk:

  • 19 x strains of Humanpapillomavirus (HPV) – high and low risk strains for cancers, and genital wart strains
  • 4 x sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that can cause cervicitis or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and contribute to infertility
  • 22 x bacterial vaginosis (BV) related bacteria
  • 2 x aerobic vaginitis (AV) related bacteria

The full list of microbes Ubiome SmartJane tests for

  • HPV strains High risk – 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68 Low risk – 6, 11, 42, 43, 44 6 and 11 cause genital warts
  • Aerococcus (BV)
  • Aerococcus christensenii (BV)
  • Atopobium (BV)
  • Atopobium vaginae (BV)
  • Chlamydia trachomatis (chlamydia) (STI)
  • Dialister microaerophilus
  • Fusobacterium nucleatum
  • Gardnerella vaginalis (BV)
  • Gemella (BV)
  • Lactobacillus (generally probiotic bacteria)
  • Lactobacillus iners (problematic lactobacilli, can be a chameleon, linked with future BV)
  • Lactobacillus jensensii
  • Megasphaera (BV)
  • Mobiluncus curtisii (BV)
  • Mycoplasma genitalium (STI, BV)
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhoea) (STI)
  • Papillibacter (BV)
  • Parvimonas (BV)
  • Peptoniphilus (BV)
  • Peptostreptococcus (BV)
  • Prevotella (BV)
  • Porphyromonas (BV)
  • Prevotella amnii (BV)
  • Prevotella timonensis (BV)
  • Sneathia (BV)
  • Staphylococcus aureus (AV)
  • Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Strep)
  • Treponema pallidum (syphilis) (STI)

What the Ubiome SmartJane test does not test for

Yeasts
  • No yeast strains (Candida and others) (yeast infections)
STIs
  • Herpes simplex 1 and 2 (STI)
  • Trichomonas vaginalis (STI)
  • BVAB1, BVAB2, BVAB3 (BV)
  • Bacteroides (BV)
  • Eggerthella (BV)
  • Escherichia coli (E. coli) (AV)
  • Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) (AV, BV)
  • Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) (AV, BV)
  • Group A Streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes) (vulvovaginitis)
  • Leptotrichia amnioni
  • Mobiluncus mulieris (BV)
  • Ureaplasma (BV)

How useful is this test?

If you have vulvovaginal symptoms and are trying to get to the bottom of your problems, this test may prove useful in figuring out what you have lurking and offer your practitioners treatment avenues. However, if you get your test results back and seem to be ‘all clear’ or have normal results, but you still have vulvovaginal symptoms that are not responding to treatments, but appear to be microbial in nature, you may need a different test. The Ubiome SmartJane test is reasonably comprehensive, but it should cover yeasts and other common pathogens found in sexually transmitted vulvovaginal infections and vaginal dysbiosis.



Jessica Lloyd - Vulvovaginal Specialist Naturopathic Practitioner, BHSc(N)

Jessica is a degree-qualified naturopath (BHSc) specialising in vulvovaginal health and disease, based in Melbourne, Australia.

Jessica is the owner and lead naturopath of My Vagina, and is a member of the:

  • International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease (ISSVD)
  • International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH)
  • National Vulvodynia Association (NVA) Australia
  • New Zealand Vulvovaginal Society (ANZVS)
  • Australian Traditional Medicine Society (ATMS)
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