Before taking a sample: How long do I need to wait to collect my sample after I have taken antibiotics?

Ideally wait at least 1 month after finishing antibiotics/antimicrobials before collecting a sample.
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- After a short course of broad-spectrum antibiotics (5–10 days), most gut microbial species return to baseline in 1–2 months.
- However, some changes can persist for a year or more.
- There is limited data on prolonged antibiotic use, but recovery is likely to take longer. For example, one study showed recovery only after 9 months following 3 months of amoxicillin.
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Based on current research, waiting at least 1 month is advised, with the understanding that full recovery may take much longer in some cases.
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10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035677

10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110649

10.1038/s41564-018-0257-9

10.1080/19490976.2022.2157200