Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), affecting an estimated 6–8 million people worldwide, may soon be monitored with a simple stool test instead of invasive procedures. Researchers have demonstrated that human DNA in fecal matter, previously ignored as biological noise, provides a clear map of activity in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

By analyzing the origin of this DNA through methylation profiling, the team found that neutrophil levels in stool accurately reflect the severity of gut inflammation in both children and adults. This dual approach of monitoring both host and microbiome data offers a noninvasive way to track disease flares and treatment efficacy over time.

Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Shaare Zedek Medical Center, led by Prof. Moran Yassour, Prof. Eyal Shteyer and Prof. Yuval Dor, have discovered that human DNA in stool, once dismissed as biological “noise,” can serve as a powerful, noninvasive tool for tracking disease activity in IBD.