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Cockell CS, Hallsworth JE, McMahon S, Kane SR, Higgins PM. The Concept of Life on Venus Informs the Concept of Habitability. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:628-634. [PMID: 38800952 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2023.0106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
An enduring question in astrobiology is how we assess extraterrestrial environments as being suitable for life. We suggest that the most reliable assessments of the habitability of extraterrestrial environments are made with respect to the empirically determined limits to known life. We discuss qualitatively distinct categories of habitability: empirical habitability that is constrained by the observed limits to biological activity; habitability sensu stricto, which is defined with reference to the known or unknown limits to the activity of all known organisms; and habitability sensu lato (habitability in the broadest sense), which is circumscribed by the limit of all possible life in the universe, which is the most difficult (and perhaps impossible) to determine. We use the cloud deck of Venus, which is temperate but incompatible with known life, as an example to elaborate and hypothesize on these limits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles S Cockell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - John E Hallsworth
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Sean McMahon
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen R Kane
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Peter M Higgins
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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Zampolli J, De Giani A, Rossi M, Finazzi M, Di Gennaro P. Who inhabits the built environment? A microbiological point of view on the principal bacteria colonizing our urban areas. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1380953. [PMID: 38863750 PMCID: PMC11165352 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1380953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Modern lifestyle greatly influences human well-being. Indeed, nowadays people are centered in the cities and this trend is growing with the ever-increasing population. The main habitat for modern humans is defined as the built environment (BE). The modulation of life quality in the BE is primarily mediated by a biodiversity of microbes. They derive from different sources, such as soil, water, air, pets, and humans. Humans are the main source and vector of bacterial diversity in the BE leaving a characteristic microbial fingerprint on the surfaces and spaces. This review, focusing on articles published from the early 2000s, delves into bacterial populations present in indoor and outdoor urban environments, exploring the characteristics of primary bacterial niches in the BE and their native habitats. It elucidates bacterial interconnections within this context and among themselves, shedding light on pathways for adaptation and survival across diverse environmental conditions. Given the limitations of culture-based methods, emphasis is placed on culture-independent approaches, particularly high-throughput techniques to elucidate the genetic and -omic features of BE bacteria. By elucidating these microbiota profiles, the review aims to contribute to understanding the implications for human health and the assessment of urban environmental quality in modern cities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Patrizia Di Gennaro
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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Täubel M, Jalanka J, Kirjavainen PV, Tuoresmäki P, Hyvärinen A, Skevaki C, Piippo-Savolainen E, Pekkanen J, Karvonen AM. Fungi in Early-Life House Dust Samples and the Development of Asthma: A Birth Cohort Study. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2023; 20:1456-1464. [PMID: 37535826 PMCID: PMC10559140 DOI: 10.1513/annalsats.202303-187oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Fungal exposure has been associated with predisposing and protective effects on the development of childhood asthma. Objectives: To study whether early-life house dust mycobiota composition is associated with the development of asthma. Methods: Mycobiota were determined by amplicon sequencing from 382 dust samples collected from living room floors 2 months after birth in homes of the LUKAS cohort. Asthma status by 10.5 years of age was defined from questionnaires and assigned as ever asthma (n = 68) or current asthma (n = 27). Inhalant atopy was clinically determined at the same age. β-composition was analyzed using PERMANOVA-S, and asthma and atopy analyses were performed using discrete time hazard models and logistic regression, respectively. Results: The house dust mycobiota composition based on Bray-Curtis distance was different in the homes of children who later did or did not develop asthma. The first and the fourth axes scores of principal coordinates analysis based on Bray-Curtis were associated with ever asthma. Of the genera with the strongest correlation with these axes, the relative abundance of Boeremia, Cladosporium, Microdochium, Mycosphaerella, and Pyrenochaetopsis showed protective associations with asthma. None of these associations remained significant after mutual adjustment among the five genera or when mutually adjusted for other microbial cell wall markers and previously identified asthma-protective bacterial indices. Neither fungal α-diversity nor load was associated with asthma in the whole population, but higher fungal richness was a risk factor among children on farms. Higher fungal loads (measured via quantitative polymerase chain reaction) in house dust were associated with the risk of inhalant atopy. Conclusions: The results of our analyses from this well-characterized birth cohort suggest that the early-life house dust mycobiota in Finnish homes, characterized via DNA amplicon sequencing, do not have strong predisposing or protective effects on asthma development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Täubel
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jonna Jalanka
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
- Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Pirkka V. Kirjavainen
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
- Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Pauli Tuoresmäki
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Anne Hyvärinen
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Chrysanthi Skevaki
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, German Center for Lung Research, Marburg, Germany
| | | | - Juha Pekkanen
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anne M. Karvonen
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
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Wang Y, Thompson KN, Yan Y, Short MI, Zhang Y, Franzosa EA, Shen J, Hartmann EM, Huttenhower C. RNA-based amplicon sequencing is ineffective in measuring metabolic activity in environmental microbial communities. MICROBIOME 2023; 11:131. [PMID: 37312147 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01449-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Characterization of microbial activity is essential to the understanding of the basic biology of microbial communities, as the function of a microbiome is defined by its biochemically active ("viable") community members. Current sequence-based technologies can rarely differentiate microbial activity, due to their inability to distinguish live and dead sourced DNA. As a result, our understanding of microbial community structures and the potential mechanisms of transmission between humans and our surrounding environments remains incomplete. As a potential solution, 16S rRNA transcript-based amplicon sequencing (16S-RNA-seq) has been proposed as a reliable methodology to characterize the active components of a microbiome, but its efficacy has not been evaluated systematically. Here, we present our work to benchmark RNA-based amplicon sequencing for activity assessment in synthetic and environmentally sourced microbial communities. RESULTS In synthetic mixtures of living and heat-killed Escherichia coli and Streptococcus sanguinis, 16S-RNA-seq successfully reconstructed the active compositions of the communities. However, in the realistic environmental samples, no significant compositional differences were observed in RNA ("actively transcribed - active") vs. DNA ("whole" communities) spiked with E. coli controls, suggesting that this methodology is not appropriate for activity assessment in complex communities. The results were slightly different when validated in environmental samples of similar origins (i.e., from Boston subway systems), where samples were differentiated both by environment type as well as by library type, though compositional dissimilarities between DNA and RNA samples remained low (Bray-Curtis distance median: 0.34-0.49). To improve the interpretation of 16S-RNA-seq results, we compared our results with previous studies and found that 16S-RNA-seq suggests taxon-wise viability trends (i.e., specific taxa are universally more or less likely to be viable compared to others) in samples of similar origins. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of 16S-RNA-seq for viability assessment in synthetic and complex microbial communities. The results found that while 16S-RNA-seq was able to semi-quantify microbial viability in relatively simple communities, it only suggests a taxon-dependent "relative" viability in realistic communities. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Microbiome Analysis Core, Building SPH1, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kelsey N Thompson
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Microbiome Analysis Core, Building SPH1, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Yan Yan
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Microbiome Analysis Core, Building SPH1, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Meghan I Short
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Microbiome Analysis Core, Building SPH1, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Yancong Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Microbiome Analysis Core, Building SPH1, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Eric A Franzosa
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Microbiome Analysis Core, Building SPH1, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jiaxian Shen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Erica M Hartmann
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Curtis Huttenhower
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Microbiome Analysis Core, Building SPH1, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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Hou J, Fujiyoshi S, Perera IU, Nishiuchi Y, Nakajima M, Ogura D, Yarimizu K, Maruyama F. Perspectives on Sampling and New Generation Sequencing Methods for Low-Biomass Bioaerosols in Atmospheric Environments. J Indian Inst Sci 2023; 103:1-11. [PMID: 37362849 PMCID: PMC10176311 DOI: 10.1007/s41745-023-00380-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Bioaerosols play essential roles in the atmospheric environment and can affect human health. With a few exceptions (e.g., farm or rainforest environments), bioaerosol samples from wide-ranging environments typically have a low biomass, including bioaerosols from indoor environments (e.g., residential homes, offices, or hospitals), outdoor environments (e.g., urban or rural air). Some specialized environments (e.g., clean rooms, the Earth's upper atmosphere, or the international space station) have an ultra-low-biomass. This review discusses the primary sources of bioaerosols and influencing factors, the recent advances in air sampling techniques and the new generation sequencing (NGS) methods used for the characterization of low-biomass bioaerosol communities, and challenges in terms of the bias introduced by different air samplers when samples are subjected to NGS analysis with a focus on ultra-low biomass. High-volume filter-based or liquid-based air samplers compatible with NGS analysis are required to improve the bioaerosol detection limits for microorganisms. A thorough understanding of the performance and outcomes of bioaerosol sampling using NGS methods and a robust protocol for aerosol sample treatment for NGS analysis are needed. Advances in NGS techniques and bioinformatic tools will contribute toward the precise high-throughput identification of the taxonomic profiles of bioaerosol communities and the determination of their functional and ecological attributes in the atmospheric environment. In particular, long-read amplicon sequencing, viability PCR, and meta-transcriptomics are promising techniques for discriminating and detecting pathogenic microorganisms that may be active and infectious in bioaerosols and, therefore, pose a threat to human health. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41745-023-00380-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianjian Hou
- Microbial Genomics and Ecology, Center for the Planetary Health and Innovation Science (PHIS), The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, 739-0046 Japan
| | - So Fujiyoshi
- Microbial Genomics and Ecology, Center for the Planetary Health and Innovation Science (PHIS), The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, 739-0046 Japan
- Center for Holobiome and Built Environment (CHOBE), Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, 739-0046 Japan
| | - Ishara Uhanie Perera
- Microbial Genomics and Ecology, Center for the Planetary Health and Innovation Science (PHIS), The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, 739-0046 Japan
| | - Yukiko Nishiuchi
- Microbial Genomics and Ecology, Center for the Planetary Health and Innovation Science (PHIS), The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, 739-0046 Japan
| | - Makiko Nakajima
- Center for Holobiome and Built Environment (CHOBE), Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, 739-0046 Japan
- Department of Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hiroshima Institute of Technology, Hiroshima, 731-5193 Japan
| | - Daisuke Ogura
- Center for Holobiome and Built Environment (CHOBE), Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, 739-0046 Japan
- Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 615-8540 Japan
| | - Kyoko Yarimizu
- Microbial Genomics and Ecology, Center for the Planetary Health and Innovation Science (PHIS), The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, 739-0046 Japan
| | - Fumito Maruyama
- Microbial Genomics and Ecology, Center for the Planetary Health and Innovation Science (PHIS), The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, 739-0046 Japan
- Center for Holobiome and Built Environment (CHOBE), Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, 739-0046 Japan
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Diaz BP, Zelzion E, Halsey K, Gaube P, Behrenfeld M, Bidle KD. Marine phytoplankton downregulate core photosynthesis and carbon storage genes upon rapid mixed layer shallowing. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023:10.1038/s41396-023-01416-x. [PMID: 37156837 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01416-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Marine phytoplankton are a diverse group of photoautotrophic organisms and key mediators in the global carbon cycle. Phytoplankton physiology and biomass accumulation are closely tied to mixed layer depth, but the intracellular metabolic pathways activated in response to changes in mixed layer depth remain less explored. Here, metatranscriptomics was used to characterize the phytoplankton community response to a mixed layer shallowing (from 233 to 5 m) over the course of two days during the late spring in the Northwest Atlantic. Most phytoplankton genera downregulated core photosynthesis, carbon storage, and carbon fixation genes as the system transitioned from a deep to a shallow mixed layer and shifted towards catabolism of stored carbon supportive of rapid cell growth. In contrast, phytoplankton genera exhibited divergent transcriptional patterns for photosystem light harvesting complex genes during this transition. Active virus infection, taken as the ratio of virus to host transcripts, increased in the Bacillariophyta (diatom) phylum and decreased in the Chlorophyta (green algae) phylum upon mixed layer shallowing. A conceptual model is proposed to provide ecophysiological context for our findings, in which integrated light limitation and lower division rates during transient deep mixing are hypothesized to disrupt resource-driven, oscillating transcript levels related to photosynthesis, carbon fixation, and carbon storage. Our findings highlight shared and unique transcriptional response strategies within phytoplankton communities acclimating to the dynamic light environment associated with transient deep mixing and shallowing events during the annual North Atlantic bloom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben P Diaz
- Department of Marine and Coastal Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
- Biotechnology & Bioengineering, Sandia National Laboratories, 7011 East Avenue, Livermore, CA, 94550, USA
| | - Ehud Zelzion
- Office of Advanced Research Computing, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Kimberly Halsey
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Peter Gaube
- Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
| | - Michael Behrenfeld
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Kay D Bidle
- Department of Marine and Coastal Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
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Yang J, Hao Z, Zhang L, Fu Y, Liu H. Surface fungal diversity and several mycotoxin-related genes' expression profiles during the Lunar Palace 365 experiment. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:169. [PMID: 36224642 PMCID: PMC9555122 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01350-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chinese Lunar Palace 1 (LP1) is a ground-based bio-regenerative life support system (BLSS) test bed integrating highly efficient plant cultivation, animal protein production, urine nitrogen recycling, and bioconversion of solid waste. To date, there has been no molecular method-based detailed investigation of the fungal community and mycotoxin potential in BLSS habitats. To ensure safe BLSS design for actual space missions, we analyzed the LP1 surface mycobiome and mycotoxin potential during the Lunar Palace 365 project through internal transcribed spacer region 1 (ITS1) amplicon sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) with primers specific for idh, ver1, nor1, tri5, and ITS1. RESULTS The LP1 system exhibited significant differences in fungal community diversity compared to other confined habitats, with higher fungal alpha diversity and different community structures. Significant differences existed in the surface fungal communities of the LP1 habitat due to the presence of different occupant groups. However, there was no significant difference between fungal communities in the plant cabin with various occupants. Source tracker analysis shows that most of the surface fungi in LP1 originated from plants. Regardless of differences in occupants or location, there were no significant differences in mycotoxin gene copy number. CONCLUSIONS Our study reveals that plants are the most crucial source of the surface fungal microbiome; however, occupant turnover can induce significant perturbations in the surface fungal community in a BLSS. Growing plants reduced fungal fluctuations, maintaining a healthy balance in the surface fungal microbiome and mycotoxin potential. Moreover, our study provides data important to (i) future risk considerations in crewed space missions with long-term residency, (ii) an optimized design and planning of a space mission that incorporates crew shifts and plant growth, and (iii) the expansion of our knowledge of indoor fungal communities with plant growth, which is essential to maintain safe working and living environments. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianlou Yang
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Zikai Hao
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191 China
| | - Lantao Zhang
- China Academy of Space Technology, Beijing, 100094 China
| | - Yuming Fu
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191 China
- International Joint Research Center of Aerospace Biotechnology & Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191 China
- State Key Laboratory of Virtual Reality Technology and Systems, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083 China
| | - Hong Liu
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191 China
- International Joint Research Center of Aerospace Biotechnology & Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191 China
- State Key Laboratory of Virtual Reality Technology and Systems, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083 China
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Balkrishna A, Singh K, Haldar S, Varshney A. Germi-X herbal-based spray disinfects smartphone surfaces: implication on fomite-mediated infection spread. AMB Express 2022; 12:30. [PMID: 35244805 PMCID: PMC8894557 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-022-01369-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Inanimate objects/surfaces become fomites upon contacting infectious agents such as disease-causing bacteria, fungi and viruses. Smartphones are one of the most prominent among these fomites. COVID-19 pandemic has raised the awareness on mobile sanitization, as an active measure to curb fomite-mediated viral transmission. Available mobile sanitizers and ultraviolet (UV) ray mediated mobile sanitization have their own sets of pros and cons, often being less user-friendly. This study explored the germicidal efficacy of an herbal-based sanitizer, Germi-X spray, on hands and mobiles, through microbiological techniques of micro-broth dilution and Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion assay, thumb print assay and swab test. Notably, Germi-X spray was found to be 6–67% more effective against surface pathogens, like, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as compared to a very popular product in the Indian market, which was taken as a control for this study. The observed anti-bacterial activity of the spray from disc-diffusion assay suggests its greater surface retentivity as compared to the control. Germicidal potency of Germi-X spray, when used to sanitize hands, was found to be greater than 80%. There was ~ 17-fold reduction in microbial counts after sanitizing smartphones with Germi-X spray. The novelty of this study lies in providing experimental evidence for this herbal-based surface sanitizer in efficiently disinfecting one of the super contaminated fomite, the smartphones. In conclusion, having an herbal base with a high germicidal efficacy against surface pathogens, together with longer surface retention, Germi-X spray appears to be an eco-friendly and cost-effective sanitizer for the surfaces of electronic gadgets like smartphones.
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Compendium of analytical methods for sampling, characterization and quantification of bioaerosols. ADV ECOL RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2022.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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10
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Omebeyinje MH, Adeluyi A, Mitra C, Chakraborty P, Gandee GM, Patel N, Verghese B, Farrance CE, Hull M, Basu P, Lee K, Adhikari A, Adivar B, Horney JA, Chanda A. Increased prevalence of indoor Aspergillus and Penicillium species is associated with indoor flooding and coastal proximity: a case study of 28 moldy buildings. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2021; 23:1681-1687. [PMID: 34596193 DOI: 10.1039/d1em00202c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Indoor flooding is a leading contributor to indoor dampness and the associated mold infestations in the coastal United States. Whether the prevalent mold genera that infest the coastal flood-prone buildings are different from those not flood-prone is unknown. In the current case study of 28 mold-infested buildings across the U.S. east coast, we surprisingly noted a trend of higher prevalence of indoor Aspergillus and Penicillium genera (denoted here as Asp-Pen) in buildings with previous flooding history. Hence, we sought to determine the possibility of a potential statistically significant association between indoor Asp-Pen prevalence and three building-related variables: (i) indoor flooding history, (ii) geographical location, and (iii) the building's use (residential versus non-residential). Culturable spores and hyphal fragments in indoor air were collected using the settle-plate method, and corresponding genera were confirmed using phylogenetic analysis of their ITS sequence (the fungal barcode). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) using Generalized linear model procedure (GLM) showed that Asp-Pen prevalence is significantly associated with indoor flooding as well as coastal proximity. To address the small sample size, a multivariate decision tree analysis was conducted, which ranked indoor flooding history as the strongest determinant of Asp-Pen prevalence, followed by geographical location and the building's use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayomi H Omebeyinje
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Adewale Adeluyi
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chandrani Mitra
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | | | | | | | - Bindhu Verghese
- Microbial Solutions, Charles River Laboratories, Newark, DE, USA
| | | | - Matthew Hull
- NanoSafe, Inc., Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Virginia Tech National Center for Earth and Environmental Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NanoEarth), Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS), Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Paramita Basu
- Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Touro College of Pharmacy, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kwonmoo Lee
- Vascular Biology Program and Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Atin Adhikari
- Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
| | - Burcu Adivar
- Broadwell College of Business and Economics, Fayetteville State University, NC, USA.
| | | | - Anindya Chanda
- Broadwell College of Business and Economics, Fayetteville State University, NC, USA.
- Mycologics LLC, Alexandria, VA, USA.
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Peccia J, Haverinen-Shaughnessy U, Täubel M, Gentner DR, Shaughnessy R. Practitioner-driven research for improving the outcomes of mold inspection and remediation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 762:144190. [PMID: 33360468 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This commentary is intended to provide a research roadmap for utilizing recent chemical and molecular-biological technological advances for addressing dampness and mold in buildings. The perspective is unique in that both the mold industry practitioners and academic researchers drive the questions. Research needs were derived from a 2018 international workshop attended by practitioners, researchers and governmental representatives, where challenges and opportunities in the mold remediation and restoration field were discussed focusing on the need to develop new tools that improve building diagnosis and clearance certification for mold inspectors and remediators. Suggestions are made on how new technologies surrounding DNA-based sequence analysis for fungal and bacterial identification and real-time chemical sensor technology can be leveraged by practitioners to improve inspection and remediation. The workshop put into effect a logical progression to distill and extract practice-based implications and encourage the process of transfer of the science to practice. Goals for the workshop, and this subsequent paper, are also centered on encouraging US government-funding agencies to better position and define research on the built environment geared for end-user scientists and practitioners to better explore practical solutions to dampness and mold in indoor environments. By facilitating the workshop forum and targeting industry, field practitioners, and government agencies, a sharing of needed commonalities may be infused into future research agendas and outreach efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Peccia
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, USA
| | - Ulla Haverinen-Shaughnessy
- Indoor Air Program, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Tulsa, USA; Faculty of Technology, Structures and Construction Technology, University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Martin Täubel
- Environmental Health Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Drew R Gentner
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, USA
| | - Richard Shaughnessy
- Indoor Air Program, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Tulsa, USA.
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Du C, Li B, Yu W, Cai J, Wang L, Li X, Yao Y, Li B. Evaluating the effect of building construction periods on household dampness/mold and childhood diseases corresponding to different energy efficiency design requirements. INDOOR AIR 2021; 31:541-556. [PMID: 32731305 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Despite concerns about building dampness and children' health, few studies have examined the effects of building energy efficiency standards. This study explored the connections between self-reported household dampness and children' adverse health outcomes across buildings corresponding to construction periods (pre-2001, 2001-2010, post-2010). Significant differences of dampness-related indicators were found between buildings; the prevalence was remarkable in pre-2001 buildings. The prevalence of lifetime-ever doctor-diagnosed diseases for children was significantly associated with building dampness (adjust odd ratios > 1), but was not affected by construction periods. The hygrothermal performance for a typical residence was simulated, varying in U-values of envelopes and air change rates. The simulated performance improvement increased indoor temperatures in 2001-2010 and post-2010 buildings. The frequency with higher indoor relative humidity was higher in pre-2001 buildings, leading to the highest values for maximum mold index (Mmax ) on wall surface, especially in winter. Compared to buildings in 2001-2010, increased insulation and lower air change rate led to a relatively higher relative humidity in post-2010 buildings, adversely increasing the Mmax values. The findings addressed the positive and negative role of building standard development, which help suggesting appropriate environmental and design solutions to trade-off energy savings and dampness/mold risk in residences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenqiu Du
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Green Buildings and Built Environments, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- National Centre for International Research of Low-carbon and Green Buildings, Ministry of Science and Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Baizhan Li
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Green Buildings and Built Environments, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- National Centre for International Research of Low-carbon and Green Buildings, Ministry of Science and Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wei Yu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Green Buildings and Built Environments, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- National Centre for International Research of Low-carbon and Green Buildings, Ministry of Science and Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiao Cai
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Green Buildings and Built Environments, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- National Centre for International Research of Low-carbon and Green Buildings, Ministry of Science and Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lexiang Wang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Green Buildings and Built Environments, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- National Centre for International Research of Low-carbon and Green Buildings, Ministry of Science and Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xinyi Li
- Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, Sheffield University, Sheffield, UK
| | - Yinghui Yao
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Green Buildings and Built Environments, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- National Centre for International Research of Low-carbon and Green Buildings, Ministry of Science and Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bicheng Li
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Green Buildings and Built Environments, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- National Centre for International Research of Low-carbon and Green Buildings, Ministry of Science and Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
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13
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Wang Y, Yan Y, Thompson KN, Bae S, Accorsi EK, Zhang Y, Shen J, Vlamakis H, Hartmann EM, Huttenhower C. Whole microbial community viability is not quantitatively reflected by propidium monoazide sequencing approach. MICROBIOME 2021; 9:17. [PMID: 33478576 PMCID: PMC7819323 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-020-00961-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High-throughput sequencing provides a powerful window into the structural and functional profiling of microbial communities, but it is unable to characterize only the viable portion of microbial communities at scale. There is as yet not one best solution to this problem. Previous studies have established viability assessments using propidium monoazide (PMA) treatment coupled with downstream molecular profiling (e.g., qPCR or sequencing). While these studies have met with moderate success, most of them focused on the resulting "viable" communities without systematic evaluations of the technique. Here, we present our work to rigorously benchmark "PMA-seq" (PMA treatment followed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing) for viability assessment in synthetic and realistic microbial communities. RESULTS PMA-seq was able to successfully reconstruct simple synthetic communities comprising viable/heat-killed Escherichia coli and Streptococcus sanguinis. However, in realistically complex communities (computer screens, computer mice, soil, and human saliva) with E. coli spike-in controls, PMA-seq did not accurately quantify viability (even relative to variability in amplicon sequencing), with its performance largely affected by community properties such as initial biomass, sample types, and compositional diversity. We then applied this technique to environmental swabs from the Boston subway system. Several taxa differed significantly after PMA treatment, while not all microorganisms responded consistently. To elucidate the "PMA-responsive" microbes, we compared our results with previous PMA-based studies and found that PMA responsiveness varied widely when microbes were sourced from different ecosystems but were reproducible within similar environments across studies. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of PMA-seq exploring its quantitative potential in synthetic and complex microbial communities, where the technique was effective for semi-quantitative purposes in simple synthetic communities but provided only qualitative assessments in realistically complex community samples. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Yan Yan
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Kelsey N. Thompson
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Sena Bae
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Emma K. Accorsi
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Yancong Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Jiaxian Shen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208 USA
| | - Hera Vlamakis
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Erica M. Hartmann
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208 USA
| | - Curtis Huttenhower
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA
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Li S, Yang Z, Hu D, Cao L, He Q. Understanding building-occupant-microbiome interactions toward healthy built environments: A review. FRONTIERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING 2020; 15:65. [PMID: 33145119 PMCID: PMC7596174 DOI: 10.1007/s11783-020-1357-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Built environments, occupants, and microbiomes constitute a system of ecosystems with extensive interactions that impact one another. Understanding the interactions between these systems is essential to develop strategies for effective management of the built environment and its inhabitants to enhance public health and well-being. Numerous studies have been conducted to characterize the microbiomes of the built environment. This review summarizes current progress in understanding the interactions between attributes of built environments and occupant behaviors that shape the structure and dynamics of indoor microbial communities. In addition, this review also discusses the challenges and future research needs in the field of microbiomes of the built environment that necessitate research beyond the basic characterization of microbiomes in order to gain an understanding of the causal mechanisms between the built environment, occupants, and microbiomes, which will provide a knowledge base for the development of transformative intervention strategies toward healthy built environments. The pressing need to control the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor environments highlights the urgency and significance of understanding the complex interactions between the built environment, occupants, and microbiomes, which is the focus of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 USA
| | - Zhiyao Yang
- Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
| | - Da Hu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 USA
| | - Liu Cao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 USA
| | - Qiang He
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 USA
- Institute for a Secure & Sustainable Environment, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 USA
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15
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Vandenborght LE, Enaud R, Urien C, Coron N, Girodet PO, Ferreira S, Berger P, Delhaes L. Type 2-high asthma is associated with a specific indoor mycobiome and microbiome. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2020; 147:1296-1305.e6. [PMID: 32926879 PMCID: PMC7486598 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2020.08.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Background The links between microbial environmental exposures and asthma are well documented, but no study has combined deep sequencing results from pulmonary and indoor microbiomes of patients with asthma with spirometry, clinical, and endotype parameters. Objective The goal of this study was to investigate the links between indoor microbial exposures and pulmonary microbial communities and to document the role of microbial exposures on inflammatory and clinical outcomes of patients with severe asthma (SA). Methods A total of 55 patients with SA from the national Cohort of Bronchial Obstruction and Asthma cohort were enrolled for analyzing their indoor microbial flora through the use of electrostatic dust collectors (EDCs). Among these patients, 22 were able to produce sputum during “stable” or pulmonary “exacerbation” periods and had complete pairs of EDC and sputum samples, both collected and analyzed. We used amplicon targeted metagenomics to compare microbial communities from EDC and sputum samples of patients according to type 2 (T2)-asthma endotypes. Results Compared with patients with T2-low SA, patients with T2-high SA exhibited an increase in bacterial α-diversity and a decrease in fungal α-diversity of their indoor microbial florae, the latter being significantly correlated with fraction of exhaled nitric oxide levels. The β-diversity of the EDC mycobiome clustered significantly according to T2 endotypes. Moreover, the proportion of fungal taxa in common between the sputum and EDC samples was significantly higher when patients exhibited acute exacerbation. Conclusion These results illustrated, for the first time, a potential association between the indoor mycobiome and clinical features of patients with SA, which should renew interest in deciphering the interactions between indoor environment, fungi, and host in asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise-Eva Vandenborght
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, CIC 1401, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, INSERM, U1045, CIC 1401, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; Microbiota Team, Research and Development Department, GenoScreen, Lille, France
| | - Raphaël Enaud
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, CIC 1401, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, INSERM, U1045, CIC 1401, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Service D'exploration Fonctionnelle Respiratoire, Service de pharmacologie, CIC 1401, CHU de Bordeaux, F-33604 Pessac, France
| | - Charlotte Urien
- Microbiota Team, Research and Development Department, GenoScreen, Lille, France
| | - Noémie Coron
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Service D'exploration Fonctionnelle Respiratoire, Service de pharmacologie, CIC 1401, CHU de Bordeaux, F-33604 Pessac, France
| | - Pierre-Olivier Girodet
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, CIC 1401, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, INSERM, U1045, CIC 1401, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Service D'exploration Fonctionnelle Respiratoire, Service de pharmacologie, CIC 1401, CHU de Bordeaux, F-33604 Pessac, France
| | - Stéphanie Ferreira
- Microbiota Team, Research and Development Department, GenoScreen, Lille, France
| | - Patrick Berger
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, CIC 1401, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, INSERM, U1045, CIC 1401, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Service D'exploration Fonctionnelle Respiratoire, Service de pharmacologie, CIC 1401, CHU de Bordeaux, F-33604 Pessac, France
| | - Laurence Delhaes
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, CIC 1401, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, INSERM, U1045, CIC 1401, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Service D'exploration Fonctionnelle Respiratoire, Service de pharmacologie, CIC 1401, CHU de Bordeaux, F-33604 Pessac, France.
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16
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Haines SR, Siegel JA, Dannemiller KC. Modeling microbial growth in carpet dust exposed to diurnal variations in relative humidity using the "Time-of-Wetness" framework. INDOOR AIR 2020; 30:978-992. [PMID: 32403157 PMCID: PMC7496831 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Resuspension of microbes in floor dust and subsequent inhalation by human occupants is an important source of human microbial exposure. Microbes in carpet dust grow at elevated levels of relative humidity, but rates of this growth are not well established, especially under changing conditions. The goal of this study was to model fungal growth in carpet dust based on indoor diurnal variations in relative humidity utilizing the time-of-wetness framework. A chamber study was conducted on carpet and dust collected from 19 homes in Ohio, USA and exposed to varying moisture conditions of 50%, 85%, and 100% relative humidity. Fungal growth followed the two activation regime model, while bacterial growth could not be evaluated using the framework. Collection site was a stronger driver of species composition (P = 0.001, R2 = 0.461) than moisture conditions (P = 0.001, R2 = 0.021). Maximum moisture condition was associated with species composition within some individual sites (P = 0.001-0.02, R2 = 0.1-0.33). Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Wallemia were common fungal genera found among samples at elevated moisture conditions. These findings can inform future studies of associations between dampness/mold in homes and health outcomes and allow for prediction of microbial growth in the indoor environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R. Haines
- Environmental Science Graduate ProgramOhio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic EngineeringCollege of EngineeringOhio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
- Division of Environmental Health SciencesCollege of Public HealthOhio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
| | - Jeffrey A. Siegel
- Department of Civil and Mineral EngineeringUniversity of TorontoTorontoONCanada
| | - Karen C. Dannemiller
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic EngineeringCollege of EngineeringOhio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
- Division of Environmental Health SciencesCollege of Public HealthOhio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
- Sustainability InstituteOhio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
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17
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Fu X, Sun Y. Indoor Microbiome and The Rising Asthma Prevalence. EMJ MICROBIOLOGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2020. [DOI: 10.33590/emjmicrobiolinfectdis/19-00190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of asthma has increased in the past few decades in most developed and developing countries. Large-scale, cross-sectional epidemiological studies have reported several factors associated with asthma prevalence and severity, including parental asthma, tobacco smoking, preterm delivery, virus infection, and air pollution. However, a puzzling problem is that the time trends in the prevalence of these risk factors cannot explain the rise in asthma. For example, the prevalence of smoking and clinical pneumonia have been decreasing globally in the past few decades. Recent progress in high-throughput sequencing technology has promoted the progress of microbiome research and established associations between human and indoor microbiomes, and many metabolic, cognitive, and immune diseases including asthma and allergies. In this review, the authors systematically summarise the current literature, standard practice, and analysis pipeline in the field of indoor microbiome and asthma. The strength and limitation of different analytical approaches are discussed, including the utilisation of relative and absolute abundance in the associated studies. The authors discuss new frameworks of integrated microbiome research from different ecological niches, functional profiling from multiomics data, and how these new insights can facilitate understanding of asthma mechanisms and even the development of new personalised treatment strategies for the rising asthma epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Fu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yu Sun
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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18
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Humidity governs the wall-inhabiting fungal community composition in a 1600-year tomb of Emperor Yang. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8421. [PMID: 32439991 PMCID: PMC7242468 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65478-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Biodeterioration caused by filamentous fungi is often a threat to the architectural heritage (i.e. tombs and historic sites). To specifically understand the deterioration phenomena caused by microorganisms in tombs and how these are shaped due to various environmental factors, the fungal communities in the coffin chamber of the Chinese emperor Yang (BC 569-618) were investigated at different heights using denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) fingerprinting. The associated environmental conditions, such as humidity, temperature, height and illumination, were also assessed. The results showed that a great diversity of fungal species (Cordyceps, Fusarium, Harpochytrium, Emericellopsis, Volutella, Cladosporium, Stachybotrys, Trichoderma, Cochlonema and two unknown fungal species) was present in emperor Yang's coffin chamber. The predominant species were Stachybotrys, Fusarium, Trichoderma and Cochlonema. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that humidity, temperature, height and illumination were the most significantly related factors shaping the fungal communities. Humidity showed the highest degree of variance description (19.2%) than all other environmental factors, followed by illumination (18.3%) and height (12.8%). Furthermore, fungal richness and diversity indices showed a positive correlation with humidity (p < 0.05). These results help in understanding the fungal community in tombs, promoting the mitigation of deterioration phenomena of such building heritage for the present and future.
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Nastasi N, Haines SR, Xu L, da Silva H, Divjan A, Barnes MA, Rappleye CA, Perzanowski MS, Green BJ, Dannemiller KC. Morphology and quantification of fungal growth in residential dust and carpets. BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT 2020; 174:10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.106774. [PMID: 33897093 PMCID: PMC8064739 DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.106774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Mold growth indoors is associated with negative human health effects, and this growth is limited by moisture availability. Dust deposited in carpet is an important source of human exposure due to potential elevated resuspension compared to hard floors. However, we need an improved understanding of fungal growth in dust and carpet to better estimate human exposure. The goal of this study was to compare fungal growth quantity and morphology in residential carpet under different environmental conditions, including equilibrium relative humidity (ERH) (50%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 100%), carpet fiber material (nylon, olefin, wool) and presence/absence of dust. We analyzed incubated carpet and dust samples from three Ohio homes for total fungal DNA, fungal allergen Alt a 1, and fungal morphology. Dust presence and elevated ERH (≥85%) were the most important variables that increased fungal growth. Elevated ERH increased mean fungal DNA concentration (P < 0.0001), for instance by approximately 1000 times at 100% compared to 50% ERH after two weeks. Microscopy also revealed more fungal growth at higher ERH. Fungal concentrations were up to 100 times higher in samples containing house dust compared to no dust. For fiber type, olefin had the least total fungal growth, and nylon had the most total fungi and A. alternata growth in unaltered dust. Increased ERH conditions were associated with increased Alt a 1 allergen concentration. The results of this study demonstrate that ERH, presence/absence of house dust, and carpet fiber type influence fungal growth and allergen production in residential carpet, which has implications for human exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Nastasi
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geodetic Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Environmental Science Graduate Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Sarah R. Haines
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geodetic Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Environmental Science Graduate Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Lingyi Xu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Hadler da Silva
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Adnan Divjan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mark A. Barnes
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Chad A. Rappleye
- Department of Microbiology, College of Arts and Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Matthew S. Perzanowski
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brett J. Green
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Karen C. Dannemiller
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geodetic Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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20
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Horve PF, Lloyd S, Mhuireach GA, Dietz L, Fretz M, MacCrone G, Van Den Wymelenberg K, Ishaq SL. Building upon current knowledge and techniques of indoor microbiology to construct the next era of theory into microorganisms, health, and the built environment. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2020; 30:219-235. [PMID: 31308484 PMCID: PMC7100162 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-019-0157-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 06/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
In the constructed habitat in which we spend up to 90% of our time, architectural design influences occupants' behavioral patterns, interactions with objects, surfaces, rituals, the outside environment, and each other. Within this built environment, human behavior and building design contribute to the accrual and dispersal of microorganisms; it is a collection of fomites that transfer microorganisms; reservoirs that collect biomass; structures that induce human or air movement patterns; and space types that encourage proximity or isolation between humans whose personal microbial clouds disperse cells into buildings. There have been recent calls to incorporate building microbiology into occupant health and exposure research and standards, yet the built environment is largely viewed as a repository for microorganisms which are to be eliminated, instead of a habitat which is inexorably linked to the microbial influences of building inhabitants. Health sectors have re-evaluated the role of microorganisms in health, incorporating microorganisms into prevention and treatment protocols, yet no paradigm shift has occurred with respect to microbiology of the built environment, despite calls to do so. Technological and logistical constraints often preclude our ability to link health outcomes to indoor microbiology, yet sufficient study exists to inform the theory and implementation of the next era of research and intervention in the built environment. This review presents built environment characteristics in relation to human health and disease, explores some of the current experimental strategies and interventions which explore health in the built environment, and discusses an emerging model for fostering indoor microbiology rather than fearing it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick F Horve
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Savanna Lloyd
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Gwynne A Mhuireach
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Leslie Dietz
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Mark Fretz
- Institute for Health and the Built Environment, University of Oregon, Portland, OR, 97209, USA
| | - Georgia MacCrone
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
- Institute for Health and the Built Environment, University of Oregon, Portland, OR, 97209, USA
| | - Suzanne L Ishaq
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA.
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Kozik A, Huang YJ. Ecological interactions in asthma: from environment to microbiota and immune responses. Curr Opin Pulm Med 2020; 26:27-32. [PMID: 31567329 PMCID: PMC7147973 DOI: 10.1097/mcp.0000000000000632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Asthma is a heterogeneous condition shaped not only by genetics but also host conditioning by environmental factors. Recognizing the ecological context of microbe-immune interactions across environments and body sites is a necessary step toward better understanding how human microbiota influence or drive the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of asthma in its various presentations. RECENT FINDINGS There is increasing evidence of a critical role for microbiota in asthma pathogenesis and outcomes across various body compartments, including the upper and lower airways, and gut. We discuss recent studies from this area including: development of a method to quantify microbial farm-effect in nonfarm environments, relationships between environmental microbial exposures and asthma prevalence across different geographies, microbiome-mediated responses to ozone, and microbiome-immune interactions within and across body compartments. Beyond bacteria, recent reports of asthma-associated differences in archaea and fungal organisms also are highlighted. SUMMARY Collective evidence warrants application of an ecological framework to advance mechanistic insights into microbiota-immune interactions in asthma. This is necessary to achieve goals of developing successful therapeutic interventions targeting modification of microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariangela Kozik
- University of Michigan, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, 6301B MSRB3/SPC5642, 1150 W. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5642
| | - Yvonne J. Huang
- University of Michigan, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, 6301B MSRB3/SPC5642, 1150 W. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5642
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22
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Haines SR, Adams RI, Boor BE, Bruton TA, Downey J, Ferro AR, Gall E, Green BJ, Hegarty B, Horner E, Jacobs DE, Lemieux P, Misztal PK, Morrison G, Perzanowski M, Reponen T, Rush RE, Virgo T, Alkhayri C, Bope A, Cochran S, Cox J, Donohue A, May AA, Nastasi N, Nishioka M, Renninger N, Tian Y, Uebel-Niemeier C, Wilkinson D, Wu T, Zambrana J, Dannemiller KC. Ten questions concerning the implications of carpet on indoor chemistry and microbiology. BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT 2019; 170:1-16. [PMID: 32055099 PMCID: PMC7017391 DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2019.106589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Carpet and rugs currently represent about half of the United States flooring market and offer many benefits as a flooring type. How carpets influence our exposure to both microorganisms and chemicals in indoor environments has important health implications but is not well understood. The goal of this manuscript is to consolidate what is known about how carpet impacts indoor chemistry and microbiology, as well as to identify the important research gaps that remain. After describing the current use of carpet indoors, questions focus on five specific areas: 1) indoor chemistry, 2) indoor microbiology, 3) resuspension and exposure, 4) current practices and future needs, and 5) sustainability. Overall, it is clear that carpet can influence our exposures to particles and volatile compounds in the indoor environment by acting as a direct source, as a reservoir of environmental contaminants, and as a surface supporting chemical and biological transformations. However, the health implications of these processes are not well known, nor how cleaning practices could be optimized to minimize potential negative impacts. Current standards and recommendations focus largely on carpets as a primary source of chemicals and on limiting moisture that would support microbial growth. Future research should consider enhancing knowledge related to the impact of carpet in the indoor environment and how we might improve the design and maintenance of this common material to reduce our exposure to harmful contaminants while retaining the benefits to consumers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R. Haines
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, and Environmental Sciences Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Rachel I. Adams
- Plant & Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Brandon E. Boor
- Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | | | - John Downey
- Cleaning Industry Research Institute, Granville, OH, 43023, USA
| | - Andrea R. Ferro
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY, 13699, USA
| | - Elliott Gall
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Portland State University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Brett J. Green
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV, 26505, USA
| | - Bridget Hegarty
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Elliott Horner
- UL Environment and Sustainability, Marietta, GA, 30067, USA
| | - David E. Jacobs
- National Center for Healthy Housing, Columbia, MD, 21044, USA
| | - Paul Lemieux
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Pawel K. Misztal
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Glenn Morrison
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Matthew Perzanowski
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Tiina Reponen
- Division of Environmental and Industrial Hygiene, Department of Environmental Health, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA
| | - Rachael E. Rush
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV, 26505, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Troy Virgo
- Shaw Industries, Inc., Dalton, GA, 30722-2128, USA
| | - Celine Alkhayri
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Ashleigh Bope
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, and Environmental Sciences Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Samuel Cochran
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, and Environmental Sciences Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Jennie Cox
- Division of Environmental and Industrial Hygiene, Department of Environmental Health, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA
| | - Allie Donohue
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Andrew A. May
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Nicholas Nastasi
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, and Environmental Sciences Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Marcia Nishioka
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Nicole Renninger
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Yilin Tian
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Christina Uebel-Niemeier
- Division of Environmental and Industrial Hygiene, Department of Environmental Health, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA
| | | | - Tianren Wu
- Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Jordan Zambrana
- Indoor Environments Division, Office of Air and Radiation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, 20460, USA
| | - Karen C. Dannemiller
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, and Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
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Cox J, Mbareche H, Lindsley WG, Duchaine C. Field sampling of indoor bioaerosols. AEROSOL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR AEROSOL RESEARCH 2019; 54:572-584. [PMID: 31777412 PMCID: PMC6880939 DOI: 10.1080/02786826.2019.1688759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Because bioaerosols are related to adverse health effects in exposed humans and indoor environments represent a unique framework of exposure, concerns about indoor bioaerosols have risen over recent years. One of the major issues in indoor bioaerosol research is the lack of standardization in the methodology, from air sampling strategies and sample treatment to the analytical methods applied. The main characteristics to consider in the choice of indoor sampling methods for bioaerosols are the sampler performance, the representativeness of the sampling, and the concordance with the analytical methods to be used. The selection of bioaerosol collection methods is directly dependent on the analytical methods, which are chosen to answer specific questions raised while designing a study for exposure assessment. In this review, the authors present current practices in the analytical methods and the sampling strategies, with specificity for each type of microbe (fungi, bacteria, archaea and viruses). In addition, common problems and errors to be avoided are discussed. Based on this work, recommendations are made for future efforts towards the development of viable bioaerosol samplers, standards for bioaerosol exposure limits, and making association studies to optimize the use of the big data provided by high-throughput sequencing methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennie Cox
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Hamza Mbareche
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Bioinformatics, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - William G. Lindsley
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Caroline Duchaine
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Bioinformatics, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
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Bope A, Haines SR, Hegarty B, Weschler CJ, Peccia J, Dannemiller KC. Degradation of phthalate esters in floor dust at elevated relative humidity. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2019; 21:1268-1279. [PMID: 30944918 DOI: 10.1039/c9em00050j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Emerging investigator series: Phthalate esters are present at elevated concentrations in floor dust, and resuspension of dust represents a major source for human exposure to chemicals. Biodegradation of phthalates occurs in aquatic systems and soils but has not been demonstrated in house dust. The goal of this study was to quantify indoor phthalate ester degradation through both biotic and abiotic mechanisms. Worn carpet squares were embedded with dust and incubated for one to six weeks at equilibrium relative humidity (ERH) levels of 50, 80, 85, 90, 95, and 100%, and nine phthalates were measured. Removal was observed for DEHP, BBzP, DINP, DiDP, and DMP (p < 0.05) when incubated under elevated relative humidity conditions. Abiotic and biotic losses were examined separately using dust spiked with deuterated di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (d-DEHP) that was embedded in carpet and incubated at 100% ERH. Abiotic processes resulted in a 10.1% (±1.1%, standard error) to 69.6% (±4.8%) decrease in total d-DEHP after one week (p = 0.03) and a 27.2% (±1.4%) to 52.0% (±2.1%) decrease after three weeks (p = 0.008). Biodegradation resulted in a decrease in total d-DEHP after one week, ranging from 5.9% (±8.9%) to 8.5% (±1.7%) (p = 0.07) and a 1.7% (±3.9%) to 10.3% (±4.5%) decrease after three weeks (p = 0.044). Metatranscriptomic-based analysis indicates that fungi found in carpet dust express genes capable of degrading phthalate esters via various biochemical processes (including β-oxidation and hydrolysis). Overall, these results support the hypothesis that phthalate losses in floor dust are due to a combination of abiotic and microbial degradation at ≥80% ERH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashleigh Bope
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, Environmental Health Sciences, College of Engineering, Ohio State University, 470 Hitchcock Hall, 2070 Neil Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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Abstract
Buildings of the future should be designed to support human health, both by promoting the presence of beneficial microbes and by reducing exposure to harmful ones. However, we still do not have a robust definition of what constitutes a “healthy” indoor microbiome. Buildings of the future should be designed to support human health, both by promoting the presence of beneficial microbes and by reducing exposure to harmful ones. However, we still do not have a robust definition of what constitutes a “healthy” indoor microbiome. Such a definition would allow us to better understand implications of building design and behavioral decisions of residents, especially for vulnerable populations such as asthmatic children. Relevant assessment methods could then be developed to make microbiome information available to home occupants, environmental health professionals, policy writers, building designers, and building remediation specialists.
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Microbial and metabolic succession on common building materials under high humidity conditions. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1767. [PMID: 30992445 PMCID: PMC6467912 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09764-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite considerable efforts to characterize the microbial ecology of the built environment, the metabolic mechanisms underpinning microbial colonization and successional dynamics remain unclear, particularly at high moisture conditions. Here, we applied bacterial/viral particle counting, qPCR, amplicon sequencing of the genes encoding 16S and ITS rRNA, and metabolomics to longitudinally characterize the ecological dynamics of four common building materials maintained at high humidity. We varied the natural inoculum provided to each material and wet half of the samples to simulate a potable water leak. Wetted materials had higher growth rates and lower alpha diversity compared to non-wetted materials, and wetting described the majority of the variance in bacterial, fungal, and metabolite structure. Inoculation location was weakly associated with bacterial and fungal beta diversity. Material type influenced bacterial and viral particle abundance and bacterial and metabolic (but not fungal) diversity. Metabolites indicative of microbial activity were identified, and they too differed by material. Microbes inhabit built environments and could contribute to degradation of surfaces especially in damp conditions. Here the authors explore how communities of microbes and their metabolites affect four types of built surfaces under varying environmental conditions.
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Stephens B, Azimi P, Thoemmes MS, Heidarinejad M, Allen JG, Gilbert JA. Microbial Exchange via Fomites and Implications for Human Health. CURRENT POLLUTION REPORTS 2019; 5:198-213. [PMID: 34171005 PMCID: PMC7149182 DOI: 10.1007/s40726-019-00123-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Fomites are inanimate objects that become colonized with microbes and serve as potential intermediaries for transmission to/from humans. This review summarizes recent literature on fomite contamination and microbial survival in the built environment, transmission between fomites and humans, and implications for human health. RECENT FINDINGS Applications of molecular sequencing techniques to analyze microbial samples have increased our understanding of the microbial diversity that exists in the built environment. This growing body of research has established that microbial communities on surfaces include substantial diversity, with considerable dynamics. While many microbial taxa likely die or lay dormant, some organisms survive, including those that are potentially beneficial, benign, or pathogenic. Surface characteristics also influence microbial survival and rates of transfer to and from humans. Recent research has combined experimental data, mechanistic modeling, and epidemiological approaches to shed light on the likely contributors to microbial exchange between fomites and humans and their contributions to adverse (and even potentially beneficial) human health outcomes. SUMMARY In addition to concerns for fomite transmission of potential pathogens, new analytical tools have uncovered other microbial matters that can be transmitted indirectly via fomites, including entire microbial communities and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Mathematical models and epidemiological approaches can provide insight on human health implications. However, both are subject to limitations associated with study design, and there is a need to better understand appropriate input model parameters. Fomites remain an important mechanism of transmission of many microbes, along with direct contact and short- and long-range aerosols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent Stephens
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Alumni Memorial Hall 228E, 3201 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60616 USA
| | - Parham Azimi
- Environmental Health Department, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA USA
| | - Megan S. Thoemmes
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Mohammad Heidarinejad
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Alumni Memorial Hall 228E, 3201 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60616 USA
| | - Joseph G. Allen
- Environmental Health Department, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA USA
| | - Jack A. Gilbert
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA USA
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Antimicrobial Chemicals Associate with Microbial Function and Antibiotic Resistance Indoors. mSystems 2018; 3:mSystems00200-18. [PMID: 30574558 PMCID: PMC6290264 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00200-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitous use of antimicrobial chemicals may have undesired consequences, particularly on microbes in buildings. This study shows that the taxonomy and function of microbes in indoor dust are strongly associated with antimicrobial chemicals—more so than any other feature of the buildings. Moreover, we identified links between antimicrobial chemical concentrations in dust and culturable bacteria that are cross-resistant to three clinically relevant antibiotics. These findings suggest that humans may be influencing the microbial species and genes that are found indoors through the addition and removal of particular antimicrobial chemicals. Humans purposefully and inadvertently introduce antimicrobial chemicals into buildings, resulting in widespread compounds, including triclosan, triclocarban, and parabens, in indoor dust. Meanwhile, drug-resistant infections continue to increase, raising concerns that buildings function as reservoirs of, or even select for, resistant microorganisms. Support for these hypotheses is limited largely since data describing relationships between antimicrobials and indoor microbial communities are scant. We combined liquid chromatography-isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry with metagenomic shotgun sequencing of dust collected from athletic facilities to characterize relationships between indoor antimicrobial chemicals and microbial communities. Elevated levels of triclosan and triclocarban, but not parabens, were associated with distinct indoor microbiomes. Dust of high triclosan content contained increased Gram-positive species with diverse drug resistance capabilities, whose pangenomes were enriched for genes encoding osmotic stress responses, efflux pump regulation, lipid metabolism, and material transport across cell membranes; such triclosan-associated functional shifts have been documented in laboratory cultures but not yet from buildings. Antibiotic-resistant bacterial isolates were cultured from all but one facility, and resistance often increased in buildings with very high triclosan levels, suggesting links between human encounters with viable drug-resistant bacteria and local biocide conditions. This characterization uncovers complex relationships between antimicrobials and indoor microbiomes: some chemicals elicit effects, whereas others may not, and no single functional or resistance factor explained chemical-microbe associations. These results suggest that anthropogenic chemicals impact microbial systems in or around buildings and their occupants, highlighting an emergent need to identify the most important indoor, outdoor, and host-associated sources of antimicrobial chemical-resistome interactions. IMPORTANCE The ubiquitous use of antimicrobial chemicals may have undesired consequences, particularly on microbes in buildings. This study shows that the taxonomy and function of microbes in indoor dust are strongly associated with antimicrobial chemicals—more so than any other feature of the buildings. Moreover, we identified links between antimicrobial chemical concentrations in dust and culturable bacteria that are cross-resistant to three clinically relevant antibiotics. These findings suggest that humans may be influencing the microbial species and genes that are found indoors through the addition and removal of particular antimicrobial chemicals.
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Bope A, Weir MH, Pruden A, Morowitz M, Mitchell J, Dannemiller KC. Translating research to policy at the NCSE 2017 symposium "Microbiology of the Built Environment: Implications for Health and Design". MICROBIOME 2018; 6:160. [PMID: 30219094 PMCID: PMC6138931 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-018-0552-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Here, we summarize a symposium entitled "Microbiology of the Built Environment: Implications for Health and Design" that was presented at the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) 17th National Conference and Global Forum in January 2017. We covered topics including indoor microbial exposures and childhood asthma, the influence of hospital design on neonatal development, the role of the microbiome in our premise (i.e., building) plumbing systems, antibiotic resistance, and quantitative microbial risk assessment. This symposium engaged the broader scientific and policy communities in a discussion to increase awareness of this critical research area and translate findings to practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashleigh Bope
- Environmental Science Graduate Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Mark H Weir
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Amy Pruden
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, USA
| | - Michael Morowitz
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA
| | - Jade Mitchell
- Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48823, USA
| | - Karen C Dannemiller
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
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