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Ye Z, Huang J, Liang Z, Liu S, Lei J, Deng S, Zheng B, Hong C, Wang Y, Wang X, Gao Q, Yang Y. A case study showing highly traceable sources of bacteria on surfaces of university buildings. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 281:116632. [PMID: 38959791 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
University students predominantly spend their time indoors, where prolonged exposure raises the risk of contact with microorganisms of concern. However, our knowledge about the microbial community characteristics on university campus and their underpinnings is limited. To address it, we characterized bacterial communities from the surfaces of various built environments typical of a university campus, including cafeterias, classrooms, dormitories, offices, meeting rooms, and restrooms, in addition to human skin. The classrooms harbored the highest α-diversity, while the cafeterias had the lowest α-diversity. The bacterial community composition varied significantly across different building types. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Cyanobacteria were common phyla in university buildings, accounting for more than 90 % of total abundance. Staphylococcus aureus was the most abundant potential pathogen in classrooms, dormitories, offices, restrooms, and on human skin, indicating a potential risk for skin disease infections in these buildings. We further developed a new quantitative pathogenic risk assessment method according to the threat of pathogens to humans and found that classrooms exhibited the highest potential risk. The fast expectation-maximization algorithm identified 59 %-86 % of bacterial sources in buildings, with the human skin as the largest bacterial source for most buildings. As the sources of bacteria were highly traceable, we showed that homogeneous selection, dispersal limitation, and ecological drift were major ecological forces that drove community assembly. Our findings have important implications for predicting the distribution and sources of indoor dust bacterial communities on university campus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhencheng Ye
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jide Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengxiong Liang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Suo Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiesi Lei
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Sihang Deng
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Zheng
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chaopeng Hong
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yong Wang
- Institute for Ocean Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaoxiong Wang
- Institute for Ocean Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qun Gao
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yunfeng Yang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China.
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Nodari R, Arghittu M, Bailo P, Cattaneo C, Creti R, D’Aleo F, Saegeman V, Franceschetti L, Novati S, Fernández-Rodríguez A, Verzeletti A, Farina C, Bandi C. Forensic Microbiology: When, Where and How. Microorganisms 2024; 12:988. [PMID: 38792818 PMCID: PMC11123702 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12050988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Forensic microbiology is a relatively new discipline, born in part thanks to the development of advanced methodologies for the detection, identification and characterization of microorganisms, and also in relation to the growing impact of infectious diseases of iatrogenic origin. Indeed, the increased application of medical practices, such as transplants, which require immunosuppressive treatments, and the growing demand for prosthetic installations, associated with an increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance, have led to a rise in the number of infections of iatrogenic origin, which entails important medico-legal issues. On the other hand, the possibility of detecting minimal amounts of microorganisms, even in the form of residual traces (e.g., their nucleic acids), and of obtaining gene and genomic sequences at contained costs, has made it possible to ask new questions of whether cases of death or illness might have a microbiological origin, with the possibility of also tracing the origin of the microorganisms involved and reconstructing the chain of contagion. In addition to the more obvious applications, such as those mentioned above related to the origin of iatrogenic infections, or to possible cases of infections not properly diagnosed and treated, a less obvious application of forensic microbiology concerns its use in cases of violence or violent death, where the characterization of the microorganisms can contribute to the reconstruction of the case. Finally, paleomicrobiology, e.g., the reconstruction and characterization of microorganisms in historical or even archaeological remnants, can be considered as a sister discipline of forensic microbiology. In this article, we will review these different aspects and applications of forensic microbiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Nodari
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (DiSFeB), University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Milena Arghittu
- Analysis Laboratory, ASST Melegnano e Martesana, 20077 Vizzolo Predabissi, Italy
| | - Paolo Bailo
- Section of Legal Medicine, School of Law, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LABANOF, Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology and Odontology, Section of Forensic Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Roberta Creti
- Antibiotic Resistance and Special Pathogens Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco D’Aleo
- Microbiology and Virology Laboratory, GOM—Grande Ospedale Metropolitano, 89124 Reggio Calabria, Italy
| | - Veroniek Saegeman
- Microbiology and Infection Control, Vitaz Hospital, 9100 Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
| | - Lorenzo Franceschetti
- LABANOF, Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology and Odontology, Section of Forensic Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Novati
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Amparo Fernández-Rodríguez
- Microbiology Department, Biology Service, Instituto Nacional de Toxicología y Ciencias Forenses, 41009 Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrea Verzeletti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Claudio Farina
- Microbiology and Virology Laboratory, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, 24127 Bergamo, Italy
| | - Claudio Bandi
- Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi Paediatric Research Centre, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
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Ibrahim K, Tahsin M, Rahman A, Rahman SM, Rahman MM. Surveillance of Bacterial Load and Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria on Surfaces of Public Restrooms. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 21:574. [PMID: 38791788 PMCID: PMC11120863 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21050574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Public restrooms are often a hub of microbial contamination and the examination of bacterial contamination in these facilities can serve as an important indicator of the transmission of infectious diseases. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of bacterial contamination in public restrooms based on the economic class of the building. Samples were collected from various spots in 32 restrooms found in 10 shopping malls, classifying them into two categories: upper-end restrooms and lower-end restrooms. The findings showed that the level of contamination was higher in the lower-end restrooms, with the seat being the most contaminated area. The most dominant Gram-positive bacteria were of the coagulase-negative staphylococci species, making up 86% of the identified Gram-positive isolates. The most dominant Gram-negative bacteria identified were Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). The antibiotic sensitivity test results revealed the presence of multidrug-resistant bacteria among the Gram-positive and negative isolates, including Staphylococcus haemolyticus (S. haemolyticus), Staphylococcus kloosii (S. kloosii), Acinetobacter baumanii (A. baumanii), and P. aeruginosa. In conclusion, the study underscores the significance of monitoring bacterial contamination in public restrooms and the need for measures to reduce the spread of infectious diseases. Further research is crucial to gain a complete understanding of the bacterial contamination in public restrooms and their resistance patterns, to ensure the safety and health of the public. The implementation of improved cleaning practices and hands-free designs in addition to the installation of antimicrobial surfaces in restrooms can help reduce the risk of cross-contamination and prevent the spread of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khadega Ibrahim
- Flow Cytometry Core, Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar;
| | | | - Aninda Rahman
- Communicable Disease Control, Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh;
| | | | - Md Mizanur Rahman
- Biological Science Program, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Collage of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha 2713, Qatar
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Onwusereaka CO, Jalaludin J, Oluchi SE, Poh Choo VC. New generation sequencing: molecular approaches for the detection and monitoring of bioaerosols in an indoor environment: a systematic review. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2024; 0:reveh-2023-0004. [PMID: 38214730 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2023-0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The exposure of occupants to indoor air pollutants has increased in recent decades. The aim of this review is to discuss an overview of new approaches that are used to study fungal aerosols. Thus, this motivation was to compensate the gaps caused by the use of only traditional approaches in the study of fungal exposure. CONTENT The search involved various databases such as; Science Direct, PubMed, SAGE, Springer Link, EBCOHOST, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane library, Web of Science and Wiley Online Library. It was limited to full text research articles that reported the use of non-viable method in assessing bioaerosol, written in English Language, full text publications and published from year 2015-2022. SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK A total of 15 articles met the inclusion criteria and was included in this review. The use of next-generation sequencing, which is more commonly referred to as high-throughput sequencing (HTS) or molecular methods in microbial studies is based on the detection of genetic material of organisms present in a given sample. Applying these methods to different environments permitted the identification of the microorganisms present, and a better comprehension of the environmental impacts and ecological roles of microbial communities. Based on the reviewed articles, there is evidence that dust samples harbour a high diversity of human-associated bacteria and fungi. Molecular methods such as next generation sequencing are reliable tools for identifying and tracking the bacterial and fungal diversity in dust samples using 18S metagenomics approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Oluchi Onwusereaka
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Juliana Jalaludin
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Sampson Emilia Oluchi
- Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
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Yusuf I, Muhammad ZD, Muhammad Amin B, Shuaibu MD, Hamza N, Isah HD, Abdullahi NB, Ene PJ, Shuaibu SS, Doguwa N, Pedro SL, Muhammad MA. Detection of clinically relevant antibiotic-resistant bacteria in shared fomites, waste water and municipal solid wastes disposed near residential areas of a Nigerian city. Access Microbiol 2023; 5:000641.v4. [PMID: 38188243 PMCID: PMC10765043 DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000641.v4] [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: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Studies investigating environmental hotspots of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in Nigeria are limited. This study was designed to assess various environmental sources and commonly touched surfaces as potential carriers of ARB and ARGs with implications for public health. A total of 392 samples, including sewage (36), sludge (36), diapers (20), plastics (20), water sachet polythene bags (20), food wastes (20), soil beneath dump sites (20), and frequently touched surfaces such as restroom floors (80), corridors (24), door handles (56), and room floors and walls (60), were collected and screened for the presence of resistant bacteria carrying genes such as bla KPC, bla NDM-1, bla CMY-2, bla IMP, bla OXA66 and MecA. Additionally, we employed standard techniques to detect methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii . We also evaluated the effectiveness of routine disinfection procedures in eliminating ARB from restroom floors. Our findings revealed that sewage, sludge, diapers, food wastes and restroom floors are frequently contaminated with highly and moderately resistant strains of E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa and MRSA. Notably, we identified two variants of the bla OXA51-like gene (bla OXA-66 and bla OXA-180) in A. baumannii isolated from these environmental sources. Furthermore, we detected seven ESBL- K. pneumoniae , five ESBL- A. baumannii , two ESBL- E. coli and one ESBL- P. aeruginosa , all carrying one or more ARGs (bla KPC, bla NDM-1, bla CMY-2), in isolates recovered from sewage, sludge, restroom floors and plastics. It is of note that ARB persisted on restroom floors even after disinfection procedures. In conclusion, this study highlights that environmental wastes indiscriminately discarded in residential areas and shared surfaces among individuals are heavily colonized by ARB carrying ARGs of significant public health importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Yusuf
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, College of Natural and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, P.M.B. 3011, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Zainab Damji Muhammad
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, College of Natural and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, P.M.B. 3011, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Binta Muhammad Amin
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, College of Natural and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, P.M.B. 3011, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Maryam Danladi Shuaibu
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, College of Natural and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, P.M.B. 3011, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Nafisatu Hamza
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, College of Natural and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, P.M.B. 3011, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Hajara Dauda Isah
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, College of Natural and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, P.M.B. 3011, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Nasir Bako Abdullahi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, College of Natural and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, P.M.B. 3011, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Patience James Ene
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, College of Natural and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, P.M.B. 3011, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Sameera Salisu Shuaibu
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, College of Natural and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, P.M.B. 3011, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Nasir Doguwa
- Department of Microbiology, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria
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Yong SS, Lee JI, Kang DH. Bacterial composition of refrigerators in households and inactivation of airborne Staphylococcus aureus using a TiO 2-UVLED module in a 512 L aerobiology chamber. Food Microbiol 2023; 114:104274. [PMID: 37290863 DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2023.104274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the microbiota in the air and on the surface of a refrigerator and to inactivate aerosolized Staphylococcus aureus using a TiO2-UVLED module. A total of 100 L of the air and 5000 cm2 surfaces in seven household refrigerators were collected using an air sampler and a swab, respectively. Samples were subjected to microbiota analysis as well as quantitative analyses of aerobic or anaerobic bacteria. The level of airborne aerobic bacteria was 4.26 log CFU/vol (100 L), while that of surface aerobic bacteria was 5.27 log CFU/surface (5000 cm2). PCoA based on the Bray-Curtis metric revealed that the bacterial composition differed between samples collected from refrigerators with and without a vegetable drawer. Moreover, pathogenic bacteria containing genera and order from each sample were found, such as Enterobacaterales, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Listeria, and Bacillus. Among them, Staphylococcus aureus was determined to be a core hazardous pathogen in air. Therefore, three S. aureus strains isolated from the air in refrigerators, as well as a reference strain of S. aureus (ATCC 6538P), were inactivated by a TiO2-UVLED module in a 512 L aerobiology chamber. All aerosolized S. aureus were reduced over 1.6 log CFU/vol after treatment with TiO2 under UVA (365 nm) light at 40 J/cm2. These findings suggest that TiO2-UVLED modules have the potential to be used to control airborne bacteria in household refrigerators.
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Affiliation(s)
- So-Seum Yong
- Department of Food and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Research Institute for Agricultural and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Ik Lee
- Department of Food and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Research Institute for Agricultural and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Hyun Kang
- Department of Food and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Research Institute for Agricultural and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea; Institutes of Green Bio Science & Technology, Seoul National University, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do, 25354, Republic of Korea.
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Adhikari S, Hunter E, Vossenberg JVD, Thomas J. A review of latrine front-end characteristics associated with microbial infection risk; reveals a lack of pathogen density data. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2023; 254:114261. [PMID: 37734133 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Unsafe sanitation accounts for an estimated 898,000 global deaths annually. The faecal pathogen transmission pathway is complex with several possible routes. Latrine front-end characteristics and usage behaviours are one key transmission pathway for microbial pathogens, however, there has not yet been a synthesis of the available research. This review aims to compare the microbial infection risks with latrine front-end components including any quantified microbial densities within the household latrines. This review was conducted with no restriction on the geographical location of the research. Of 118 studies reviewed, only ten (8%) have quantified the microbial density inside the household latrines compared to 109 (92%) measuring the infection risks. The reported risks were most frequent for specific bacterial (n = 34), and helminths infections (n = 32) compared to diarrhoea (n = 23), combined (n = 15), protozoan (n = 4), and viral (n = 4) infections. The infections risk decreased for using latrines lying at a higher position on the sanitation ladder (for example flush latrines) compared to those lying lower (for example pit latrines). The trend was similar for using floor materials that were easier to clean and less favourable for pathogen survival inside the latrines (for example, concrete as opposed to earth). Faecal coliforms were reported highest on the surface of the squat pan (743 CFU/cm2) of pour-flush latrines and helminths on earth floors of pit latrines (1.5 eggs and larvae per gram of soil). Irrespective of latrine type and its position on the sanitation ladder, a dirty latrine, evidenced by a visible lack of cleanliness, significantly increased the risk for all infections. This study recommends that effective microbial infection risk reduction in latrines can be gained efficiently by ensuring washable surfaces and consistent cleaning practices. Future studies should include more rigorous measurements of microbial densities in various latrine types incorporating the different front-end components and usage behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabita Adhikari
- School of Civil Engineering, The University of Sydney, Australia.
| | - Erin Hunter
- Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Behavioural, Social and Health Sciences, Clemson University, United States.
| | - Jack van de Vossenberg
- Water Supply, Sanitation and Environmental Engineering Department, IHE Delft Institute of Water Education, the Netherlands.
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Jabri H, Krings S, Fall PA, Baurain D, Daube G, Taminiau B. Microbiota Profiling on Veterinary Faculty Restroom Surfaces and Source Tracking. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2053. [PMID: 37630613 PMCID: PMC10459056 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11082053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to develop a comprehensive microbial source amplicon database tailored for source tracking in veterinary settings. We rigorously tested our locally curated source tracking database by selecting a frequently accessed environment by veterinary students and veterinarians. By exploring the composition of resident microbiota and identifying potential sources of contamination, including animals, the environment, and human beings, we aimed to provide valuable insights into the dynamics of microbial transmission within veterinary facilities. The 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing was used to determine the bacterial taxonomic profiles of restroom surfaces. Bacterial sources were identified by linking our metadata-enriched local database to the microbiota profiling analysis using high-quality sequences. Microbiota profiling shows the dominance of four phyla: Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes. If the restroom cleaning process did not appear to impact microbiota composition, significant differences regarding bacterial distribution were observed between male and female users in different sampling campaigns. Combining 16S rDNA profiling to our specific sources labeling pipeline, we found aquatic and human sources were the primary environment keywords in our campaigns. The probable presence of known animal sources (bovids, insects, equids, suids…) associated with bacterial genera such as Chryseobacterium, Bergeyella, Fibrobacter, and Syntrophococcus was also involved in restroom surfaces, emphasizing the proximity between these restrooms and the exchange of bacteria between people involved in animals handling. To summarize, we have demonstrated that DNA sequence-based source tracking may be integrated with high-throughput bacterial community analysis to enrich microbial investigation of potential bacterial contamination sources, especially for little known or poorly identified taxa. However, more research is needed to determine the tool's utility in other applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiba Jabri
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health Center (FARAH), Department of Food Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, Quartier Vallée 2, B42, Avenue de Cureghem 10, 4000 Liège, Belgium; (H.J.); (G.D.)
| | - Simone Krings
- Department of Microbial Sciences, School of Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Univesity of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK;
| | - Papa Abdoulaye Fall
- FoodChainID GENOMICS, Laboratory Manager NGS, Rue Hayeneux, 62, 4040 Herstal, Belgium;
| | - Denis Baurain
- Eukaryotic Phylogenomics, InBioS-PhytoSYSTEMS, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium;
| | - Georges Daube
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health Center (FARAH), Department of Food Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, Quartier Vallée 2, B42, Avenue de Cureghem 10, 4000 Liège, Belgium; (H.J.); (G.D.)
| | - Bernard Taminiau
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health Center (FARAH), Department of Food Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, Quartier Vallée 2, B42, Avenue de Cureghem 10, 4000 Liège, Belgium; (H.J.); (G.D.)
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Liao J, Ling Z, Zhang Y. Indoor particle dispersion due to hand dryer in public washroom: an in silico study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11554. [PMID: 37463924 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37804-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Hand dryer in public washroom has been reported likely to be a reservoir of drug-resistant bacteria. When a hand dryer being used, the high-velocity air jet from the dryer outlet can carry aerosol particles to hand surfaces, the user, and indoor space. This in silico study considered the effect of different airflow speed of hand dryers on the dispersion of particles in different diameters with and without the user. The aim of this study was to apply the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method based on the discrete phase model to investigate the trajectory of indoor particles from the hand dryer in public washroom. The CFD results showed that, when the user was using the hand dryer, 42.3% of the particles were distributed on the wall against the user, and 31.6% were distributed on the user's body, including their hands. When no one was standing in front of the hand dryer, 87.6% of the particles fell on the ground. The blocking of user's hand dispersed the particles to a wide range, particularly for the larger diameter particles which were scattered on the user's body or on the ground. In addition, the dispersion proportion of particles did not vary with the speed of airflow, but the area of particles distribution became larger as the speed increased. Our findings suggest that the contamination of the indoor environment caused by the hand dryer could not be ignored, incorporating filters into hand dryers is essential. Furthermore, our work offers valuable insights for optimizing the design of hand dryers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Liao
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Zhongjian Ling
- School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Energy Power Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yongou Zhang
- School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Energy Power Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China.
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Briscoe L, Halperin E, Garud NR. SNV-FEAST: microbial source tracking with single nucleotide variants. Genome Biol 2023; 24:101. [PMID: 37121994 PMCID: PMC10150486 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-02927-8] [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: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Elucidating the sources of a microbiome can provide insight into the ecological dynamics responsible for the formation of these communities. Source tracking approaches to date leverage species abundance information; however, single nucleotide variants (SNVs) may be more informative because of their high specificity to certain sources. To overcome the computational burden of utilizing all SNVs for a given sample, we introduce a novel method to identify signature SNVs for source tracking. Signature SNVs used as input into a previously designed source tracking algorithm, FEAST, can more accurately estimate contributions than species and provide novel insights, demonstrated in three case studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Briscoe
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Eran Halperin
- Department of Computer Science, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Computational Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Institute of Precision Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nandita R Garud
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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11
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Heinemann MK. Bottom Up. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2023; 71:163-164. [PMID: 37019122 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1767732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Markus K Heinemann
- Department of Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, Universitaetsmedizin Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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12
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Sah GP, Kovalick G, Chopyk J, Kuo P, Huang L, Ghatbale P, Das P, Realegeno S, Knight R, Gilbert JA, Pride DT. Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 Distribution and Microbial Succession in a Clinical Microbiology Testing Facility during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0450922. [PMID: 36916973 PMCID: PMC10100919 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04509-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The exchange of microbes between humans and the built environment is a dynamic process that has significant impact on health. Most studies exploring the microbiome of the built environment have been predicated on improving our understanding of pathogen emergence, persistence, and transmission. Previous studies have demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 presence significantly correlates with the proportional abundance of specific bacteria on surfaces in the built environment. However, in these studies, SARS-CoV-2 originated from infected patients. Here, we perform a similar assessment for a clinical microbiology lab while staff were handling SARS-CoV-2 infected samples. The goal of this study was to understand the distribution and dynamics of microbial population on various surfaces within different sections of a clinical microbiology lab during a short period of 2020 Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. We sampled floors, benches, and sinks in 3 sections (bacteriology, molecular microbiology, and COVID) of an active clinical microbiology lab over a 3-month period. Although floor samples harbored SARS-CoV-2, it was rarely identified on other surfaces, and bacterial diversity was significantly greater on floors than sinks and benches. The floors were primarily colonized by bacteria common to natural environments (e.g., soils), and benchtops harbored a greater proportion of human-associated microbes, including Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. Finally, we show that the microbial composition of these surfaces did not change over time and remained stable. Despite finding viruses on the floors, no lab-acquired infections were reported during the study period, which suggests that lab safety protocols and sanitation practices were sufficient to prevent pathogen exposures. IMPORTANCE For decades, diagnostic clinical laboratories have been an integral part of the health care systems that perform diagnostic tests on patient's specimens in bulk on a regular basis. Understanding their microbiota should assist in designing and implementing disinfection, and cleaning regime in more effective way. To our knowledge, there is a lack of information on the composition and dynamics of microbiota in the clinical laboratory environments, and, through this study, we have tried to fill that gap. This study has wider implications as understanding the makeup of microbes on various surfaces within clinical laboratories could help identify any pathogenic bacterial taxa that could have colonized these surfaces, and might act as a potential source of laboratory-acquired infections. Mapping the microbial community within these built environments may also be critical in assessing the reliability of laboratory safety and sanitation practices to lower any potential risk of exposures to health care workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Govind Prasad Sah
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Grace Kovalick
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Jessica Chopyk
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Peiting Kuo
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Lina Huang
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Pooja Ghatbale
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Promi Das
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Susan Realegeno
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Rob Knight
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Jack A. Gilbert
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - David T. Pride
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
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13
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Paddy EN, Afolabi OOD, Sohail M. Toilet plume bioaerosols in health care and hospitality settings: A systematic review. Am J Infect Control 2023; 51:324-333. [PMID: 35870658 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2022.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The spread of some respiratory and gastro-intestinal infections has been linked to the exposure to infectious bioaerosols released after toilet flushing. This represents a health hazard and infection risk for immunocompromised patients, health workers and the public, particularly within the health care and hospitality settings. This systematic review provides current knowledge and identifies gaps in the evidence regarding toilet plume bioaerosols and the potential contributory role in spreading infections in health care and hospitality settings. METHODS The PRISMA guidelines were used. Searches were run in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar from 1950 to 30th June 2021. Searches of global and regional reports and updates from relevant international and governmental organizations were also conducted. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION The search yielded 712 results, and 37 studies were finally selected for this review. There is a lack of national and international bioaerosol sampling and exposure standards for health care and hospitality settings. Toilet plume bioaerosols are complex in nature, thus, measured bioaerosol concentrations in these settings depend on many variables and may differ for every pathogen responsible for a particular infectious disease. The contact and airborne transmission risks posed by toilet plume bioaerosols also remain unquantified. They are an important pathway that can increase the exposure to enteric and airborne pathogens. Hence, quantitative risk assessment and related research are needed to investigate these transmission risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth N Paddy
- School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom.
| | - Oluwasola O D Afolabi
- School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
| | - M Sohail
- School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
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14
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Wright JR, Ly TT, Cromwell KB, Brislawn CJ, Chen See JR, Anderson SLC, Pellegrino J, Peachey L, Walls CY, Lloyd CM, Jones OY, Lawrence MW, Bess JA, Wall AC, Shope AJ, Lamendella R. Assessment of a novel continuous cleaning device using metatranscriptomics in diverse hospital environments. FRONTIERS IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY 2023; 5:1015507. [PMID: 36935775 PMCID: PMC10020724 DOI: 10.3389/fmedt.2023.1015507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Despite routine implementation of cleaning and disinfection practices in clinical healthcare settings, high-touch environmental surfaces and contaminated equipment often serve as reservoirs for the transmission of pathogens associated with healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Methods The current study involved the analysis of high-touch surface swabs using a metatranscriptomic sequencing workflow (CSI-Dx™) to assess the efficacy of cleanSURFACES® technology in decreasing microbial burden by limiting re-contamination. This is a non-human single center study conducted in the Emergency Department (ED) and on an inpatient Oncology Ward of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center that have followed hygienic practices during the COVID-19 pandemic environment. Results Although there was no difference in observed microbial richness (two-tailed Wilcoxon test with Holm correction, P > 0.05), beta diversity findings identified shifts in microbial community structure between surfaces from baseline and post-intervention timepoints (Day 1, Day 7, Day 14, and Day 28). Biomarker and regression analyses identified significant reductions in annotated transcripts for various clinically relevant microorganisms' post-intervention, coagulase-negative staphylococci and Malassezia restricta, at ED and Oncology ward, respectively. Additionally, post-intervention samples predominantly consisted of Proteobacteria and to a lesser extent skin commensals and endogenous environmental microorganisms in both departments. Discussion Findings support the value of cleanSURFACES®, when coupled with routine disinfection practices, to effectively impact on the composition of active microbial communities found on high-touch surfaces in two different patient care areas of the hospital (one outpatient and one inpatient) with unique demands and patient-centered practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin R Wright
- Contamination Source Identification, LLC., Huntingdon, PA, United States
| | - Truc T Ly
- Contamination Source Identification, LLC., Huntingdon, PA, United States
| | - Karen B Cromwell
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Colin J Brislawn
- Contamination Source Identification, LLC., Huntingdon, PA, United States
| | - Jeremy R Chen See
- Contamination Source Identification, LLC., Huntingdon, PA, United States
| | | | - Jordan Pellegrino
- Contamination Source Identification, LLC., Huntingdon, PA, United States
| | - Logan Peachey
- Contamination Source Identification, LLC., Huntingdon, PA, United States
| | - Christine Y Walls
- Contamination Source Identification, LLC., Huntingdon, PA, United States
| | - Charise M Lloyd
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Olcay Y Jones
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Matthew W Lawrence
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | | | | | - Alexander J Shope
- Contamination Source Identification, LLC., Huntingdon, PA, United States
- AIONX, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Regina Lamendella
- Contamination Source Identification, LLC., Huntingdon, PA, United States
- Correspondence: Regina Lamendella
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15
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Allen ES, Kane Low L. Adolescent Women's Perspectives on Barriers and Facilitators to High School Bathroom Use. J Sch Nurs 2022:10598405221142031. [PMID: 36464801 DOI: 10.1177/10598405221142031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Bathroom access and use in conjunction with biological urge to void is an important part of optimal bladder health. School settings are uniquely positioned to influence the development of bladder habits. The aim of this study was to identify barriers and facilitators to high school bathroom use for adolescent women. A qualitative study design was used to conduct semi-structured interviews focused on experiences with bathroom use while at school. Thirty adolescent women were interviewed, and transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis methods. Barriers included unpleasant bathroom environments, lack of privacy, and school/teacher policies. Facilitators included clean, private bathrooms and menstruation. Improving bathroom cleanliness, privacy, and eliminating policies aimed at controlling bathroom access may reduce barriers to bathroom use. School nurses have a unique role in educating teachers, administrators, and students about the importance of clean bathrooms and policies that support bathroom use in conjunction with biological urge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elissa S Allen
- Bronson School of Nursing, 4175Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
| | - Lisa Kane Low
- School of Nursing, 1259University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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16
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Sampling from four geographically divergent young female populations demonstrates forensic geolocation potential in microbiomes. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18547. [PMID: 36329122 PMCID: PMC9633824 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21779-z] [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: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of human microbiomes using new sequencing techniques have increasingly demonstrated that their ecologies are partly determined by the lifestyle and habits of individuals. As such, significant forensic information could be obtained from high throughput sequencing of the human microbiome. This approach, combined with multiple analytical techniques demonstrates that bacterial DNA can be used to uniquely identify an individual and to provide information about their life and behavioral patterns. However, the transformation of these findings into actionable forensic information, including the geolocation of the samples, remains limited by incomplete understanding of the effects of confounding factors and the paucity of diverse sequences. We obtained 16S rRNA sequences of stool and oral microbiomes collected from 206 young and healthy females from four globally diverse populations, in addition to supporting metadata, including dietary and medical information. Analysis of these microbiomes revealed detectable geolocation signals between the populations, even for populations living within the same city. Accounting for other lifestyle variables, such as diet and smoking, lessened but does not remove the geolocation signal.
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17
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Ramlal PS, Lin J, Buckley CA, Stenström TA, Amoah ID. Determinants of diarrhoeal infections among users of shared sanitation in informal settlements in Durban, South Africa. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2022; 20:1517-1533. [PMID: 36308496 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2022.201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Diarrhoeal disease continues to be a major health problem in many parts of the world, especially in developing countries, mainly due to the lack of access to sanitation, water, and hygienic living conditions. Identifying the determinants of diarrhoeal infections continues to be a challenge in developing countries. In this study, we ascertained the factors behind diarrhoea among inhabitants of informal settlements in the city of Durban, South Africa. Prevalence of diarrhoea in the study area varied between 7-year historical clinical records and data collected during the current study (primary data), with the primary data giving the highest monthly prevalence odds ratio (POR) up to 18.1 (±1.6)%. The main factors associated with diarrhoeal infections were open defaecation (POR = 1.8; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.9-3.12), use of shared sanitation (POR = 1.7; 95%; CI: 1.05-2.26), and exposure to faecal matter around the homes (POR = 1.69; 95% CI: 1.25-3.10). Several other factors were also determined to be associated with diarrhoeal infections, such as hygiene practices in the communities, the non-treatment of water before use, and the presence of solid waste and faecal materials around the households. This study shows that diarrhoeal disease infections in informal settlements could be multifactorial; therefore, a multifactorial approach is needed to reduce these infections. These could include improving education on hygiene practices within the home setting as well as in public places, such as the community ablution blocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preshod Sewnand Ramlal
- eThekwini Municipality Health Department, 9 Archie Gumede Place, Durban 4001, South Africa E-mail: ; School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
| | - J Lin
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
| | - C A Buckley
- WASH Research and Development Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal, KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa; We regret to state that Prof. C. A. Buckley passed away weeks before this manuscript was submitted for publication
| | - T A Stenström
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
| | - I D Amoah
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
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18
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Xu J, Xu X, Sun KS, Wu D, Lam TP, Zhou X. Changes in residents' hygiene awareness and behaviors in public toilets before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hangzhou, China: a two-round cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:1690. [PMID: 36068533 PMCID: PMC9447962 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-14114-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hygiene behaviors in public toilets are important to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases, especially during the pandemic. All through the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, governments in many countries published guidance on personal hygiene for the general population to prevent disease transmission. This study aimed to investigate improvements in residents’ hygiene awareness and behaviors in public toilets before and during the pandemic. Methods We recruited 316 residents between November and December 2018 before the pandemic, and 314 residents between December 2020 and January 2021 during the pandemic in the same study sites in Hangzhou, a well-developed city in China. Residents’ hygiene behaviors in public toilets, hygiene awareness, risk perception, and sociodemographic factors were collected. Bivariate analysis and multivariable logistic regressions were used to test the differences between the two rounds. We conducted an observational study to record the provision of hygiene amenities at toilets during the pandemic. Results After controlling for sociodemographic factors (gender, marital status, age, education level, and monthly household income), compared with respondents recruited before the pandemic, respondents recruited during the pandemic were more likely to perceive the risks of infection when using public toilets (aOR = 1.77, 95%CI [1.20, 2.60]), and were more likely to be aware of the risks of touching contaminated toilet facilities (aOR = 1.72, 95%CI [1.17, 2.54]) and the risks of not using soap to wash one’s hands after using the toilet (aOR = 1.93, 95%CI [1.38, 2.72]). They were more likely to always clean their toilet seat with alcohol (aOR = 1.88, 95%CI [1.01, 3.51]), wash hands with soap (aOR = 1.52, 95%CI [1.09, 2.10]) and dry their hands with a dryer (aOR = 1.78, 95%CI [1.16, 2.71]), but they were less likely to always wash their hands after using the toilets (aOR = 0.57, 95%CI [0.32, 1.00]). Among 70 public toilets observed, 9 provided alcohol for toilet seat disinfection, 52 provided soap, 33 provided paper towels, and 41 had working hand dryers. Conclusions Despite the overall improvement, residents’ hygiene behaviors in public toilets and the supply of hygiene amenities were still suboptimal during the pandemic. Further hygiene education and an adequate supply of hygiene amenities in public toilets are needed to promote residents’ hygiene behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayao Xu
- Institute of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xin Xu
- Institute of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kai Sing Sun
- JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Dan Wu
- Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Tai Pong Lam
- Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Xudong Zhou
- Institute of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, China. .,The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
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19
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Jiang S, Sun B, Zhu R, Che C, Ma D, Wang R, Dai H. Airborne microbial community structure and potential pathogen identification across the PM size fractions and seasons in the urban atmosphere. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 831:154665. [PMID: 35314242 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
As a vital component of airborne bioaerosols, bacteria and fungi seriously endanger human health as pathogens and allergens. However, comprehensive effects of environmental variables on airborne microbial community structures remain poorly understood across the PM sizes and seasons. We collected atmospheric PM1.0, PM2.5, and PM10 samples in Hefei, a typical rapidly-developing city in East China, across three seasons, and performed a comprehensive analysis of airborne microbial community structures using qPCR and high-throughput sequencing. Overall the bacterial and fungal abundances in PM1.0 were one to two orders of magnitude higher than those in PM2.5 and PM10 across seasons, but their α-diversity tended to increase from PM1.0 to PM10. The bacterial gene abundances showed a strong positive correlation (P < 0.05) with atmospheric SO2 and NO2 concentrations and air quality index. The bacterial gene abundances were significantly higher (P = 0.001) than fungi, and the bacterial diversity showed stronger seasonality. The PM sizes influenced distribution patterns for airborne microbial communities within the same season. Source-tracking analysis indicated that soils, plants, human and animal feces represented important sources of airborne bacteria with a total relative abundance of more than 60% in summer, but total abundance from the unidentified sources surpassed in fall and winter. Total 10 potential bacterial and 12 potential fungal pathogens were identified at the species level with the highest relative abundances in summer, and their abundances increased with the PM sizes. Together, our results indicated that a complex set of environmental factors, including water-soluble ions in PM, changes in air pollutant levels and meteorological conditions, and shifts in the relative importance of available microbial sources, acted to control the seasonal compositions of microbial communities in the urban atmosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoyi Jiang
- Institute of Polar Environment & Anhui Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Global Change, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Bowen Sun
- Institute of Polar Environment & Anhui Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Global Change, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Renbin Zhu
- Institute of Polar Environment & Anhui Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Global Change, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
| | - Chenshuai Che
- Institute of Polar Environment & Anhui Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Global Change, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Dawei Ma
- State Grid Anhui Electric Power Research Institute, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Runfang Wang
- State Grid Anhui Electric Power Research Institute, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Haitao Dai
- Institute of Polar Environment & Anhui Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Global Change, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
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20
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Pausan MR, Blohs M, Mahnert A, Moissl-Eichinger C. The sanitary indoor environment-a potential source for intact human-associated anaerobes. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2022; 8:44. [PMID: 35650275 PMCID: PMC9160270 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-022-00305-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A healthy human microbiome relies on the interaction with and exchange of microbes that takes place between the human body and its environment. People in high-income countries spend most of their time indoors and for this reason, the built environment (BE) might represent a potent source of commensal microbes. Anaerobic microbes are of particular interest, as researchers have not yet sufficiently clarified how the human microbiome acquires oxygen-sensitive microbes. We sampled the bathrooms in ten households and used propidium monoazide (PMA) to assess the viability of the collected prokaryotes. We compared the microbiome profiles based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing and confirmed our results by genetic and cultivation-based analyses. Quantitative and qualitative analysis revealed that most of the microbial taxa in the BE samples are human-associated. Less than 25% of the prokaryotic signatures originate from intact cells, indicating that aerobic and stress resistant taxa display an apparent survival advantage. However, we also confirmed the presence of intact, strictly anaerobic taxa on bathroom floors, including methanogenic archaea. As methanogens are regarded as highly sensitive to aerobic conditions, oxygen-tolerance experiments were performed with human-associated isolates to validate their survival. These results show that human-associated methanogens can survive oxic conditions for at least 6 h. We collected strong evidence that supports the hypothesis that obligate anaerobic taxa can survive in the BE for a limited amount of time. This suggests that the BE serves as a potential source of anaerobic human commensals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela-Raluca Pausan
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Steigerwald Arzneimittelwerk GmbH, Bayer Consumer Health, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Marcus Blohs
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Alexander Mahnert
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Christine Moissl-Eichinger
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
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21
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Beukes LS, Schmidt S. Manual emptying of ventilated improved pit latrines and hygiene challenges - a baseline survey in a peri-urban community in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2022; 32:1043-1054. [PMID: 32962416 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2020.1823334] [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: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The presence of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus spp. was determined on the skin, personal protective equipment, the municipal vehicle, and various surfaces at ten households in a peri-urban community (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) before and after manual emptying of ventilated improved pit latrines. Surface samples (n = 14) were collected using sterile wet wipes, and target bacteria were detected using standard procedures. Additionally, E. coli was enumerated in soil samples from an area of open defecation (log10 3.7 MPN/g) and areas where geophagia occurred (log10 2.7 - log10 3.3 MPN/g), using a most probable number (MPN) method. The detection frequency for the target bacteria on household surfaces (e.g., the walkway between the pit latrine and the municipal vehicle) and on municipal workers' hands (which were frequently contaminated before pit emptying), occasionally increased after the pits were emptied, indicating that manual pit emptying might pose a potential health risk to workers and community members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorika S Beukes
- Discipline of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Stefan Schmidt
- Discipline of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
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22
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Peimbert M, Alcaraz LD. Where environmental microbiome meets its host: subway and passenger microbiome relationships. Mol Ecol 2022; 32:2602-2618. [PMID: 35318755 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Subways are urban transport systems with high capacity. Every day around the world, there are more than 150 million subway passengers. Since 2013, thousands of microbiome samples from various subways worldwide have been sequenced. Skin bacteria and environmental organisms dominate the subway microbiomes. The literature has revealed common bacterial groups in subway systems; even so, it is possible to identify cities by their microbiome. Low-frequency bacteria are responsible for specific bacterial fingerprints of each subway system. Furthermore, daily subway commuters leave their microbial clouds and interact with other passengers. Microbial exchange is quite fast; the hand microbiome changes within minutes, and after cleaning the handrails, the bacteria are re-established within minutes. To investigate new taxa and metabolic pathways of subway microbial communities, several high-quality metagenomic-assembled genomes (MAG) have been described. Subways are harsh environments unfavorable for microorganism growth. However, recent studies have observed a wide diversity of viable and metabolically active bacteria. Understanding which bacteria are living, dormant, or dead allows us to propose realistic ecological interactions. Questions regarding the relationship between humans and the subway microbiome, particularly the microbiome effects on personal and public health, remain unanswered. This review summarizes our knowledge of subway microbiomes and their relationship with passenger microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Peimbert
- Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Unidad Cuajimalpa, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana. Ciudad de México, México
| | - Luis D Alcaraz
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
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Beasley DE, Monsur M, Hu J, Dunn RR, Madden AA. The bacterial community of childcare centers: potential implications for microbial dispersal and child exposure. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2022; 17:8. [PMID: 35246271 PMCID: PMC8895594 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-022-00404-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacterial communities within built environments reflect differences in sources of bacteria, building design, and environmental contexts. These communities impact the health of their occupants in many ways. Children interact with the built environment differently than do adults as a result of their unique behaviors, size, and developmental status. Consequently, understanding the broader bacterial community to which children are exposed will help inform public health efforts and contribute to our growing understanding of the bacterial community associated with childcare centers. METHODS We sampled childcare centers to survey the variation in bacterial community composition across five surfaces found inside and outside twelve classrooms and six centers using 16S rRNA marker gene amplicon sequencing. We then correlated these bacterial community analyses of surfaces with environmental and demographic measures of illumination and classroom occupant density. RESULTS The childcare environment was dominated by human-associated bacteria with modest input from outdoor sources. Though the bacterial communities of individual childcare centers differed, there was a greater difference in the bacterial community within a classroom than among centers. Surface habitats-fomites-within the classroom, did not differ in community composition despite differing proximity to likely sources of bacteria, and possible environmental filters, such as light. Bacterial communities did correlate with occupant density and differed significantly between high and low usage surfaces. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest built environments inhabited by young children are similar to functionally equivalent built environments inhabited by adults, despite the different way young children engage with their environment. Ultimately, these results will be useful when further interrogating microbial dispersal and human exposure to microorganisms in built environments that specifically cater to young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- D E Beasley
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
- Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science, University of Tennessee Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, 37403, USA.
| | - M Monsur
- College of Design, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - J Hu
- College of Design, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - R R Dunn
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - A A Madden
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
- The Microbe Institute, Everett, MA, 02149, USA
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Ramlal PS, Lin J, Buckley CA, Stenström TA, Amoah ID. An assessment of the health risks associated with shared sanitation: a case study of the community ablution blocks in Durban, South Africa. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:166. [PMID: 35142880 PMCID: PMC9035208 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-09815-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Shared sanitation facilities have been hailed as an innovative approach to solve the challenge with sanitation access. However, these facilities may act as hotspots for disease transmission due to unhygienic conditions. In this study we used quantitative (based on Escherichia coli contamination) techniques to assess the health risks associated with the use of community ablution blocks (CABs). The most contaminated surfaces were the cistern handle (5.7 Log10 cfu/cm2) and internal pull latch (5.8 Log10 cfu/cm2). Based on the E. coli contamination, at least two people out of 100 CAB users might be potentially infected when they touch "hot" surfaces. These risks were modelled assuming transfer of potentially pathogenic E. coli from these surfaces to the mouth. The incorporation of risk-reduction measures, such as wiping of these surfaces or washing of hands, could potentially result in significant reduction of infection risks. The most significant risk-reduction intervention was determined to be wiping of the contact surfaces, especially twice prior to contact. A combination of risk-reduction interventions could further reduce the risks. This study shows that contamination of contact surfaces within shared CABs could lead to increased risks of infections, requiring measures aimed at reducing the associated risks. The risk assessment framework used in this study could therefore be applied in similar settings to estimate associated health risks with the use of such facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preshod S Ramlal
- eThekwini Municipality Health Department, 9 Archie Gumede Place, 4001, Durban, South Africa.
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, KwaZulu-Natal, 4001, Durban, South Africa.
| | - Johnson Lin
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, KwaZulu-Natal, 4001, Durban, South Africa
| | - Christopher A Buckley
- WASH Research and Development Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal, KwaZulu-Natal, 4001, Durban, South Africa
| | - Thor Axel Stenström
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Isaac D Amoah
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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A biogeographic 16S rRNA survey of bacterial communities of ureolytic biomineralization from California public restrooms. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0262425. [PMID: 35030221 PMCID: PMC8759634 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we examined the total bacterial community associated with ureolytic biomineralization from urine drainage systems. Biomineral samples were obtained from 11 California Department of Transportation public restrooms fitted with waterless, low-flow, or conventional urinals in 2019. Following high throughput 16S rRNA Illumina sequences processed using the DADA2 pipeline, the microbial diversity assessment of 169 biomineral and urine samples resulted in 3,869 reference sequences aggregated as 598 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Using PERMANOVA testing, we found strong, significant differences between biomineral samples grouped by intrasystem sampling location and urinal type. Biomineral microbial community profiles and alpha diversities differed significantly when controlling for sampling season. Observational statistics revealed that biomineral samples obtained from waterless urinals contained the largest ureC/16S gene copy ratios and were the least diverse urinal type in terms of Shannon indices. Waterless urinal biomineral samples were largely dominated by the Bacilli class (86.1%) compared to low-flow (41.3%) and conventional samples (20.5%), and had the fewest genera that account for less than 2.5% relative abundance per OTU. Our findings are useful for future microbial ecology studies of urine source-separation technologies, as we have established a comparative basis using a large sample size and study area.
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26
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Vardoulakis S, Espinoza Oyarce DA, Donner E. Transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in public washrooms: A systematic review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 803:149932. [PMID: 34525681 PMCID: PMC8390098 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The risk of infectious disease transmission in public washrooms causes concern particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This systematic review aims to assess the risk of transmission of viral or bacterial infections through inhalation, surface contact, and faecal-oral routes in public washrooms in healthcare and non-healthcare environments. METHODS We systematically reviewed environmental sampling, laboratory, and epidemiological studies on viral and bacterial infection transmission in washrooms using PubMed and Scopus. The review focused on indoor, publicly accessible washrooms. RESULTS Thirty-eight studies from 13 countries were identified, including 14 studies carried out in healthcare settings, 10 in laboratories or experimental chambers, and 14 studies in restaurants, workplaces, commercial and academic environments. Thirty-three studies involved surface sampling, 15 air sampling, 8 water sampling, and 5 studies were risk assessments or outbreak investigations. Infectious disease transmission was studied in relation with: (a) toilets with flushing mechanisms; (b) hand drying systems; and (c) water taps, sinks and drains. A wide range of enteric, skin and soil bacteria and enteric and respiratory viruses were identified in public washrooms, potentially posing a risk of infection transmission. Studies on COVID-19 transmission only examined washroom contamination in healthcare settings. CONCLUSION Open-lid toilet flushing, ineffective handwashing or hand drying, substandard or infrequent surface cleaning, blocked drains, and uncovered rubbish bins can result in widespread bacterial and/or viral contamination in washrooms. However, only a few cases of infectious diseases mostly related to faecal-oral transmission originating from washrooms in restaurants were reported. Although there is a risk of microbial aerosolisation from toilet flushing and the use of hand drying systems, we found no evidence of airborne transmission of enteric or respiratory pathogens, including COVID-19, in public washrooms. Appropriate hand hygiene, surface cleaning and disinfection, and washroom maintenance and ventilation are likely to minimise the risk of infectious disease transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sotiris Vardoulakis
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - Daniela A Espinoza Oyarce
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Erica Donner
- Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia
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Wu Z, Lyu H, Ma X, Ren G, Song J, Jing X, Liu Y. Comparative effects of environmental factors on bacterial communities in two types of indoor dust: Potential risks to university students. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 203:111869. [PMID: 34411549 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
University students are constantly exposed to potential bacterial pathogens and environmental pollutants in indoor environment because they spend most of their time indoors. University dormitory and printing shop are two typical indoor environments frequented by university students. However, little is known about the characteristics of bacterial community as well as the effect of indoor environmental factors on them. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to reveal the bacterial community in indoor dust, electronic devices were recorded during dust sampling, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were detected by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes were leading phyla, and Acinetobacter, Paracoccus and Kocuria were dominating genera. The predominant genera showed Acinetobacter > Paracoccus > unidentified Corynebacteriaceae in indoor dusts from university dormitories, whereas Paracoccus > unidentified Cyanobacteria > Acinetobacter in printing shops. The occurrence of Acinetobacter, Kocuria, Corynebacterium, Pseudomonas, and Bacillus suggested the health risks of potential pathogenic bacteria to university students. Significant differences of microbial composition and diversity were proved between university dormitories and printing shops. Chemoheterotrophy and aerobic chemoheterotrophy were dominant bacterial functions, and the seven primary bacterial functions displayed university dormitory > printing shop. BDE 138 and BDE 66 were main environmental parameters affecting the indoor dust bacterial community in university dormitory, while printer and BDE 47 played dominating role in shaping microorganism in printing shop. The complex biotic (potential bacterial pathogens) and abiotic factors (electronic equipment and chemical pollutants) in indoor dusts may pose potential health risks to university students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhineng Wu
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300401, China; School of Public Health, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, China
| | - Honghong Lyu
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300401, China
| | - Xiaodong Ma
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300401, China.
| | - Gengbo Ren
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300401, China
| | - Jie Song
- School of Public Health, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, China
| | - Xiaohua Jing
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anyang Normal University, Henan Province, 455002, China
| | - Yuanyuan Liu
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
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Hyperosmolarity adversely impacts recombinant protein synthesis by Yarrowia lipolytica-molecular background revealed by quantitative proteomics. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 106:349-367. [PMID: 34913994 PMCID: PMC8720085 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11731-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract In this research, we were interested in answering a question whether subjecting a Yarrowia lipolytica strain overproducing a recombinant secretory protein (rs-Prot) to pre-optimized stress factors may enhance synthesis of the rs-Prot. Increased osmolarity (3 Osm kg−1) was the primary stress factor implemented alone or in combination with decreased temperature (20 °C), known to promote synthesis of rs-Prots. The treatments were executed in batch bioreactor cultures, and the cellular response was studied in terms of culture progression, gene expression and global proteomics, to get insight into molecular bases underlying an awaken reaction. Primarily, we observed that hyperosmolarity executed by high sorbitol concentration does not enhance synthesis of the rs-Prot but increases its transcription. Expectedly, hyperosmolarity induced synthesis of polyols at the expense of citric acid synthesis and growth, which was severely limited. A number of stress-related proteins were upregulated, including heat-shock proteins (HSPs) and aldo–keto reductases, as observed at transcriptomics and proteomics levels. Concerted downregulation of central carbon metabolism, including glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle and fatty acid synthesis, highlighted redirection of carbon fluxes. Elevated abundance of HSPs and osmolytes did not outbalance the severe limitation of protein synthesis, marked by orchestrated downregulation of translation (elongation factors, several aa-tRNA synthetases), amino acid biosynthesis and ribosome biogenesis in response to the hyperosmolarity. Altogether we settled that increased osmolarity is not beneficial for rs-Prots synthesis in Y. lipolytica, even though some elements of the response could assist this process. Insight into global changes in the yeast proteome under the treatments is provided. Key points • Temp enhances, but Osm decreases rs-Prots synthesis by Y. lipolytica. • Enhanced abundance of HSPs and osmolytes is overweighted by limited translation. • Global proteome under Osm, Temp and Osm Temp treatments was studied. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00253-021-11731-y.
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Differences between the Leaf Mycobiome of Coffea arabica and Wild Coffee Species and Their Modulation by Caffeine/Chlorogenic Acid Content. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9112296. [PMID: 34835422 PMCID: PMC8619290 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9112296] [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: 10/17/2021] [Revised: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of microbes associated with the coffee tree has been gaining strength in recent years. In this work, we compared the leaf mycobiome of the traditional crop Coffea arabica with wild species Coffea racemosa and Coffea stenophylla using ITS sequencing for qualitative information and real-time PCR for quantitative information, seeking to relate the mycobiomes with the content of caffeine and chlorogenic acid in leaves. Dothideomycetes, Wallemiomycetes, and Tremellomycetes are the dominant classes of fungi. The core leaf mycobiome among the three Coffea species is formed by Hannaella, Cladosporium, Cryptococcus, Erythrobasidium, and Alternaria. A network analysis showed that Phoma, an important C. arabica pathogen, is negatively related to six fungal species present in C. racemosa and C. stenophylla and absent in C. arabica. Finally, C. arabica have more than 35 times the concentration of caffeine and 2.5 times the concentration of chlorogenic acid than C. stenophylla and C. racemosa. The relationship between caffeine/chlorogenic acid content, the leaf mycobiome, and genotype pathogen resistance is discussed.
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30
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Tong X, Leung MHY, Shen Z, Lee JYY, Mason CE, Lee PKH. Metagenomic insights into the microbial communities of inert and oligotrophic outdoor pier surfaces of a coastal city. MICROBIOME 2021; 9:213. [PMID: 34724986 PMCID: PMC8562002 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01166-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies of the microbiomes on surfaces in built environment have largely focused on indoor spaces, while outdoor spaces have received far less attention. Piers are engineered infrastructures commonly found in coastal areas, and due to their unique locations at the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, pier surfaces are likely to harbor interesting microbiology. In this study, the microbiomes on the metal and concrete surfaces at nine piers located along the coastline of Hong Kong were investigated by metagenomic sequencing. The roles played by different physical attributes and environmental factors in shaping the taxonomic composition and functional traits of the pier surface microbiomes were determined. Metagenome-assembled genomes were reconstructed and their putative biosynthetic gene clusters were characterized in detail. RESULTS Surface material was found to be the strongest factor in structuring the taxonomic and functional compositions of the pier surface microbiomes. Corrosion-related bacteria were significantly enriched on metal surfaces, consistent with the pitting corrosion observed. The differential enrichment of taxa mediating biodegradation suggests differences between the metal and concrete surfaces in terms of specific xenobiotics being potentially degraded. Genome-centric analysis detected the presence of many novel species, with the majority of them belonging to the phylum Proteobacteria. Genomic characterization showed that the potential metabolic functions and secondary biosynthetic capacity were largely correlated with taxonomy, rather than surface attributes and geography. CONCLUSIONS Pier surfaces are a rich reservoir of abundant novel bacterial species. Members of the surface microbial communities use different mechanisms to counter the stresses under oligotrophic conditions. A better understanding of the outdoor surface microbiomes located in different environments should enhance the ability to maintain outdoor surfaces of infrastructures. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinzhao Tong
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Marcus H Y Leung
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Zhiyong Shen
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Justin Y Y Lee
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Christopher E Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- The WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- The Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Patrick K H Lee
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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Cho HW, Eom YB. Forensic Analysis of Human Microbiome in Skin and Body Fluids Based on Geographic Location. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:695191. [PMID: 34458160 PMCID: PMC8388931 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.695191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
High-throughput DNA sequencing technologies have facilitated the in silico forensic analysis of human microbiome. Specific microbial species or communities obtained from the crime scene provide evidence of human contacts and their body fluids. The microbial community is influenced by geographic, ethnic, lifestyle, and environmental factors such as urbanization. An understanding of the effects of these external stressors on the human microbiome and determination of stable and changing elements are important in selecting appropriate targets for investigation. In this study, the Forensic Microbiome Database (FMD) (http://www.fmd.jcvi.org) containing the microbiome data of various locations in the human body in 35 countries was used. We focused on skin, saliva, vaginal fluid, and stool and found that the microbiome distribution differed according to the body part as well as the geographic location. In the case of skin samples, Staphylococcus species were higher than Corynebacterium species among Asians compared with Americans. Holdemanella and Fusobacterium were specific in the saliva of Koreans and Japanese populations. Lactobacillus was found in the vaginal fluids of individuals in all countries, whereas Serratia and Enterobacter were endemic to Bolivia and Congo, respectively. This study is the first attempt to collate and describe the observed variation in microbiomes from the forensic microbiome database. As additional microbiome databases are reported by studies worldwide, the diversity of the applications may exceed and expand beyond the initial identification of the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye-Won Cho
- Department of Medical Sciences, Graduate School, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, South Korea
| | - Yong-Bin Eom
- Department of Medical Sciences, Graduate School, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Medical Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, South Korea
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Ahannach S, Spacova I, Decorte R, Jehaes E, Lebeer S. At the Interface of Life and Death: Post-mortem and Other Applications of Vaginal, Skin, and Salivary Microbiome Analysis in Forensics. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:694447. [PMID: 34394033 PMCID: PMC8355522 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.694447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial forensics represents a promising tool to strengthen traditional forensic investigative methods and fill related knowledge gaps. Large-scale microbiome studies indicate that microbial fingerprinting can assist forensics in areas such as trace evidence, source tracking, geolocation, and circumstances of death. Nevertheless, the majority of forensic microbiome studies focus on soil and internal organ samples, whereas the microbiome of skin, mouth, and especially vaginal samples that are routinely collected in sexual assault and femicide cases remain underexplored. This review discusses the current and emerging insights into vaginal, skin, and salivary microbiome-modulating factors during life (e.g., lifestyle and health status) and after death (e.g., environmental influences and post-mortem interval) based on next-generation sequencing. We specifically highlight the key aspects of female reproductive tract, skin, and mouth microbiome samples relevant in forensics. To fill the current knowledge gaps, future research should focus on the degree to which the post-mortem succession rate and profiles of vaginal, skin, and saliva microbiota are sensitive to abiotic and biotic factors, presence or absence of oxygen and other gases, and the nutrient richness of the environment. Application of this microbiome-related knowledge could provide valuable complementary data to strengthen forensic cases, for example, to shed light on the circumstances surrounding death with (post-mortem) microbial fingerprinting. Overall, this review synthesizes the present knowledge and aims to provide a framework to adequately comprehend the hurdles and potential application of vaginal, skin, and salivary post-mortem microbiomes in forensic investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Ahannach
- Department of Bioscience Engineering, Research Group Environmental Ecology and Applied Microbiology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Irina Spacova
- Department of Bioscience Engineering, Research Group Environmental Ecology and Applied Microbiology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ronny Decorte
- Laboratory of Forensic Genetics, Department of Forensic Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Imaging and Pathology, Forensic Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Els Jehaes
- Forensic DNA Laboratory, Department of Forensic Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Sarah Lebeer
- Department of Bioscience Engineering, Research Group Environmental Ecology and Applied Microbiology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on contact surfaces within shared sanitation facilities. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2021; 236:113807. [PMID: 34265632 PMCID: PMC8270751 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Contamination of contact surfaces with SARS-CoV-2 has been reported as a potential route for the transmission of COVID-19. This could be a major issue in developing countries where access to basic sanitation is poor, leading to the sharing of toilet facilities. In this study, we report SARS-CoV-2 contamination of key contact surfaces in shared toilets and the probabilistic risks of COVID-19 infections based on detection and quantification of the nucleic acid on the surfaces. We observed that 54-69% of the contact surfaces were contaminated, with SARS-CoV-2 loads ranging from 28.1 to 132.7 gene copies per cm2. Toilet seats had the highest contamination, which could be attributed to shedding of the virus in feces and urine. We observed a significant reduction in viral loads on the contaminated surfaces after cleaning, showing the potential of effective cleaning on the reduction of contamination. The pattern of contamination indicates that the most contaminated surfaces are those that are either commonly touched by users of the shared toilets or easily contaminated with feces and urine. These surfaces were the toilet seats, cistern handles and tap handles. The likelihood (probability) of infection with COVID-19 on these surfaces was highest on the toilet seat (1.76 × 10-4(1.58 × 10-6)) for one time use of the toilet. These findings highlight the potential risks for COVID-19 infections in the event that intact infectious viral particles are deposited on these contact surfaces. Therefore, this study shows that shared toilet facilities in densely populated areas could lead to an increase in risks of COVID-19 infections. This calls for the implementation of risk reduction measures, such as regular washing of hands with soap, strict adherence to wearing face masks, and effective and regular cleaning of shared facilities.
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de Sousa LP. Bacterial communities of indoor surface of stingless bee nests. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252933. [PMID: 34242231 PMCID: PMC8270128 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbes have been identified as fundamental for the good health of bees, acting as pathogens, protective agent against infection/inorganic toxic compounds, degradation of recalcitrant secondary plant metabolites, definition of social group membership, carbohydrate metabolism, honey and bee pollen production. However, study of microbiota associated with bees have been largely confined to the honeybees and solitary bees. Here, I characterized the microbiota of indoor surface nest of four brazilian stingless bee species (Apidae: Meliponini) with different construction behaviors and populations. Bees that use predominantly plant material to build the nest (Frieseomelitta varia and Tetragonisca angustula) have a microbiome dominated by bacteria found in the phylloplane and flowers such as Pseudomonas sp. and Sphingomonas sp. Species that use mud and feces (Trigona spinipes) possess a microbiome dominated by coliforms such as Escherichia coli and Alcaligenes faecalis. Melipona quadrifasciata, which uses both mud / feces and plant resin, showed a hybrid microbiome with microbes found in soil, feces and plant material. These findings indicate that indoor surface microbiome varies widely among bees and reflects the materials used in the construction of the nests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro Pio de Sousa
- Department of Genetic, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
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35
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Amoah ID, Pillay L, Deepnarian N, Awolusi O, Pillay K, Ramlal P, Kumari S, Bux F. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on contact surfaces within shared sanitation facilities. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2021; 236:113807. [PMID: 34265632 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-89199/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Contamination of contact surfaces with SARS-CoV-2 has been reported as a potential route for the transmission of COVID-19. This could be a major issue in developing countries where access to basic sanitation is poor, leading to the sharing of toilet facilities. In this study, we report SARS-CoV-2 contamination of key contact surfaces in shared toilets and the probabilistic risks of COVID-19 infections based on detection and quantification of the nucleic acid on the surfaces. We observed that 54-69% of the contact surfaces were contaminated, with SARS-CoV-2 loads ranging from 28.1 to 132.7 gene copies per cm2. Toilet seats had the highest contamination, which could be attributed to shedding of the virus in feces and urine. We observed a significant reduction in viral loads on the contaminated surfaces after cleaning, showing the potential of effective cleaning on the reduction of contamination. The pattern of contamination indicates that the most contaminated surfaces are those that are either commonly touched by users of the shared toilets or easily contaminated with feces and urine. These surfaces were the toilet seats, cistern handles and tap handles. The likelihood (probability) of infection with COVID-19 on these surfaces was highest on the toilet seat (1.76 × 10-4(1.58 × 10-6)) for one time use of the toilet. These findings highlight the potential risks for COVID-19 infections in the event that intact infectious viral particles are deposited on these contact surfaces. Therefore, this study shows that shared toilet facilities in densely populated areas could lead to an increase in risks of COVID-19 infections. This calls for the implementation of risk reduction measures, such as regular washing of hands with soap, strict adherence to wearing face masks, and effective and regular cleaning of shared facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Dennis Amoah
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Leanne Pillay
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Nashia Deepnarian
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Oluyemi Awolusi
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Kriveshin Pillay
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Preshod Ramlal
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, 4001, South Africa; eThekwini Health Department, eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, 4001, South Africa
| | - Sheena Kumari
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Faizal Bux
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa.
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Kuddus M, Khatoon F, Saleem M, Anwar S, Alam Shahid SM, Ginawi T, Hossain A, Malaqi Alnabri AA, Alshammari ZF, Mohammed Alrabie A, Jehad Alenazi SS, F Alshammari MM, Kausar MA. Assessment of bio-contaminants during COVID-19 outbreak from the indoor environment of Hail city, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Bioinformation 2021; 17:541-549. [PMID: 35095228 PMCID: PMC8770406 DOI: 10.6026/97320630017541] [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: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Biocontaminants are minute particles derived from different biological materials. Indoor biocontaminants are associated with major public health problems. In Gulf countries, it is more precarious due to the harsh climatic conditions, including high ambient temperatures and relative humidity. In addition, due to COVID-19 pandemic, most of the time public is inside their home. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the load of biocontaminants in the indoor environment of Hail city. The results showed that most of the bacteria are gram-positive and higher in polymicrobial (87.1%) than monomicrobial (62.7%) association. There was no significant association with sample collection time and types of isolates. The most abundant microbes found in all samples were Staphylococcus aureus followed by Bacillus spp. Among Gram-negative bacterial isolates, E. coli was most common in tested indoor air samples. The study will be useful to find the biocontaminants associated with risk factors and their impact on human health in indoor environment, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. These results indicate the need to implement health care awareness programs in the region to improve indoor air quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Kuddus
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Hail, Hail, KSA
| | - Fahmida Khatoon
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Hail, Hail, KSA
| | - Mohd Saleem
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Hail, Hail, KSA
| | - Sadaf Anwar
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Hail, Hail, KSA
| | | | - Tarig Ginawi
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Hail, Hail, KSA
| | - Ashfaque Hossain
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, UAE
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Mohd Adnan Kausar
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Hail, Hail, KSA
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37
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Neckovic A, van Oorschot RAH, Szkuta B, Durdle A. Identifying background microbiomes in an evidence recovery laboratory: A preliminary study. Sci Justice 2021; 61:280-290. [PMID: 33985676 DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
16S rRNA profiling of bacterial communities may have forensic utility in the identification or association of individuals involved with criminal activities. Microbial profiling of evidence may, in the future, be performed within environments currently utilised for human DNA recovery, such as a forensic biology laboratory. It would be important to establish the background microbiome of such an environment to determine the potential presence of human or environmental microbial signatures to assist forensic scientists in the appropriate interpretation of target microbial communities. This study sampled various surfaces of an Evidence Recovery Laboratory (ERL) on three occasions including (a) before a monthly deep-clean, (b) immediately following the deep-clean, and (c) immediately after the laboratory's use by a single participant for the purposes of routine item examinations. Microbial profiles were also generated for the involved participant and researcher for comparison purposes. Additionally, human nuclear DNA was profiled for each of the samples collected, using standard forensic profiling techniques, to provide a prospective link to the presence or absence of a background microbial signature within the ERL after its use. Taxonomic distributions across ERL samples revealed no consistent signature of any of the items sampled over time, however, major phyla noted within all ERL samples across the three timepoints were consistent with those found in human skin microbiomes. PCoA plots based on the Unweighted Unifrac metric revealed some clustering between participant microbial reference samples and surfaces of the ERL after use, suggesting that despite a lack of direct contact, and adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) suitable for human DNA recovery, microbiomes may be deposited into a forensic setting over time. The reference samples collected from the involved participant and researcher generated full STR profiles. Human DNA was observed to varying degrees in samples taken from the ERL across each of the sampling timepoints. There was no correlation observed between samples that contained or did not contain detectable quantities of human nuclear DNA and microbial profile outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Neckovic
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
| | - Roland A H van Oorschot
- Office of the Chief Forensic Scientist, Victoria Police Forensic Services Centre, Macleod, Australia; School of Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia
| | - Bianca Szkuta
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia; Office of the Chief Forensic Scientist, Victoria Police Forensic Services Centre, Macleod, Australia
| | - Annalisa Durdle
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
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Singh H, Clarke T, Brinkac L, Greco C, Nelson KE. Forensic Microbiome Database: A Tool for Forensic Geolocation Meta-Analysis Using Publicly Available 16S rRNA Microbiome Sequencing. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:644861. [PMID: 33833745 PMCID: PMC8022992 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.644861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The human microbiome has been proposed as a tool to investigate different forensic questions, including for the identification of multiple personal information. However, the fragmented state of the publicly available data has retarded the development of analysis techniques and, therefore, the implementation of microbiomes as a forensic tool. To address this, we introduce the forensic microbiome database (FMD), which is a collection of 16S rRNA data and associated metadata generated from publicly available data. The raw data was further normalized and processed using a pipeline to create a standardized data set for downstream analysis. We present a website allowing for the exploration of geolocation signals in the FMD. The website allows users to investigate the taxonomic differences between microbiomes harvested from different locations and to predict the geolocation of their data based on the FMD sequences. All the results are presented in dynamic graphics to allow for a rapid and intuitive investigation of the taxonomic distributions underpinning the geolocation signals and prediction between locations. Apart from the forensic aspect, the database also allows exploration and comparison of microbiome samples from different geolocation and between different body sites. The goal of the FMD is to provide the scientific and non-scientific communities with data and tools to explore the possibilities of microbiomes to answer forensic questions and serve as a model for any future such databases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas Clarke
- J. Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, MD, United States
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Feng Z, Shen H, Nie Y, Wu XL. The Impacts of the Occupants on the Bacterial Communities of Classrooms. Curr Microbiol 2021; 78:2112-2121. [PMID: 33768385 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-021-02451-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In modern societies, people spend most of their time in the built environment which harbors unique microbial assemblages with the potential to influence human health. However, how the occupants of buildings influence indoor microbial communities remains under-researched. Here, we investigated the diversities of the bacterial communities of a typical Chinese middle school to demonstrate the effects of occupant activities on bacterial communities inside classrooms. The results showed that samples taken from classrooms exhibited higher microbial diversity compared to samples collected from public areas such as gym and restaurant, suggesting the occupant activities could increase the diversities of the indoor microbial communities. Moreover, we also found that the duration of occupation strongly influence the presence/absence of phylogenetic lineages of the bacterial communities, the type of occupants, on the other hand, affect the relative abundances of bacterial taxa. In addition, samples taken from classrooms with longer occupation time exhibited a better fit to the Sloan Neutral Community Model for Prokaryotes, suggesting that room occupation influences the assembly process of microbial communities. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the duration of occupation and the type of occupants influence the microbiome of the built environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhou Feng
- College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - He Shen
- The Experimental High School Attached to Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100032, China
| | - Yong Nie
- College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Xiao-Lei Wu
- College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China. .,Institute of Ocean Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China. .,Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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40
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Lai ACK, Nunayon SS. A new UVC-LED system for disinfection of pathogens generated by toilet flushing. INDOOR AIR 2021; 31:324-334. [PMID: 32989792 PMCID: PMC7537215 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A new disinfection system utilizing UVC-LED irradiation was developed. The system was affixed to the toilet seat, and it was challenged by three bacteria strains. Different configurations were tested: 3-LEDs, 5-LEDs (two variants), and 8-LEDs. To determine the arrangement designs of LEDs with the optimum efficacy, two variants of 5-LEDs configurations were additionally considered-uniform and concentrated (2-sided) distributions. It was noticed that disinfection efficacy initially increased with the number of LEDs, but with 8-LEDs, the trend became almost non-obvious for surface disinfection and just marginally increased for airborne disinfection. The mean efficiencies for the surface disinfection ranged from 55.17 ± 23.89% to 72.80 ± 4.13% for E. coli; 36.65 ± 2.99% to 50.05 ± 13.38% for S. typhimurium; and 8.81 ± 3.23% to 39.43 ± 9.33% for S. epidermidis. Likewise, the mean efficiencies for airborne disinfection ranged from 42.17 ± 8.18% to 70.70 ± 4.80%; 40.40 ± 17.90% to 58.31 ± 13.87%; and 24.16 ± 3.81% to 42.79 ± 10.20% for E. coli; S. typhimurium; and S. epidermidis, respectively. Furthermore, the efficacy of the uniform irradiation was nearly twice that of the concentrated irradiation for surface disinfection and 17.70% higher for airborne disinfection, when tested against E coli. Collectively, these very promising results showcased that this compact, sustainable, and localized disinfection system has a high potential for the next generation of disinfection devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvin C. K. Lai
- Department of Architecture and Civil EngineeringCity University of Hong KongKowloon TongHong Kong
| | - Sunday S. Nunayon
- Department of Architecture and Civil EngineeringCity University of Hong KongKowloon TongHong Kong
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41
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Sun KS, Lam TP, Tang WS, Chan HY, Lam KF, Chow ECY, Wu D, Zhou XD, Xu JY, Ho PL. Improving Public Toilet Environment and Hygiene Practices in an Asian City: Voices From Hong Kong Residents. Asia Pac J Public Health 2021; 33:378-387. [PMID: 33593075 DOI: 10.1177/1010539521993685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Toilet hygiene is an important preventive measure for infectious diseases, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and COVID-19. This study explored public's opinions on improving toilet environment and hygiene practices in Hong Kong. A mixed-method approach was applied. We conducted 4 focus groups plus 3 individual interviews among the Hong Kong Chinese, followed by a questionnaire survey with 300 respondents recruited from various districts. Difference in response distributions between groups with different demographics was tested by Pearson χ2 test. Instead of advocating for advanced toilet facilities, respondents were mostly concerned about basic hygiene issues. Malfunctioning facilities resulting from poor toilet management, such as clogged toilets, stained facilities, and problematic flushing systems, were most cited as barriers to toilet hygiene practices. Three quarters of the survey respondents expressed concerns over worn and poorly maintained toilets, shortage of janitors, and cleansing supplies. However, respondents who were older (P < .001), less educated (P < .001), and had lower income (P = .001) were significantly more likely to find hygiene conditions in public toilets satisfactory. The findings reflected the substandard of the current provisions as a developed city in Asia. Enhanced efforts by the government to maintain basic toilet supplies and facilities is the key to improving public compliance to toilet hygiene practices.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Kwok Fai Lam
- The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | | | - Dan Wu
- The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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42
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Stewart JD, Kremer P, Shakya KM, Conway M, Saad A. Outdoor Atmospheric Microbial Diversity Is Associated With Urban Landscape Structure and Differs From Indoor-Transit Systems as Revealed by Mobile Monitoring and Three-Dimensional Spatial Analysis. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.620461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbes are abundant inhabitants of the near-surface atmosphere in urban areas. The distribution of microbial communities may benefit or hinder human wellbeing and ecosystem function. Surveys of airborne microbial diversity are uncommon in both natural and built environments and those that investigate diversity are stationary in the city, thus missing continuous exposure to microbes that covary with three-dimensional urban structure. Individuals in cities are generally mobile and would be exposed to diverse urban structures outdoors and within indoor-transit systems in a day. We used mobile monitoring of microbial diversity and geographic information system spatial analysis, across Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA in outdoor and indoor-transit (subways and train cars) environments. This study identifies to the role of the three-dimensional urban landscape in structuring atmospheric microbiomes and employs mobile monitoring over ~1,920 kilometers to measure continuous biodiversity. We found more diverse communities outdoors that significantly differ from indoor-transit air in microbial community structure, function, likely source environment, and potentially pathogenic fraction of the community. Variation in the structure of the urban landscape was associated with diversity and function of the near-surface atmospheric microbiome in outdoor samples.
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43
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Rai S, Singh DK, Kumar A. Microbial, environmental and anthropogenic factors influencing the indoor microbiome of the built environment. J Basic Microbiol 2021; 61:267-292. [PMID: 33522603 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.202000575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Revised: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
A built environment is a human-made environment providing surroundings for human occupancy, activities, and settlement. It is supposed to safeguard humans from all undesirable and harmful pollutants; however, indoor concentrations of some pollutants are much greater than that of the outdoors. Bioaerosols infiltrate from the outdoors in addition to many indoor sources of bioaerosols including the use of various chemicals as well as activities like cooking, smoking, cleaning, or even normal movement. They are also associated with a number of serious health concerns. Various ecological factors associated with the generation, the persistence as well as the dispersal of these microbial components of indoor bioaerosols, are discussed in this review, that have not been considered all together till now. The factors like microbial taxa, environmental factors, and anthropogenic activities (human occupancy, activities, and impact of urbanization) are addressed in the review. Effects of both indoor environmental factors like architectural design, lighting, ventilation, temperature, humidity, indoor/outdoor ratio, particulate matter, indoor chemistry as well as outdoor environmental factors like geography, seasons, and meteorology on the microbial concentrations have been discussed. Efforts are underway to design selective pressures for microbes to create a healthy symbiotic built microbiome as the "right" indoor microbiome is a "healthy" indoor microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandhya Rai
- Department of Zoology, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Dileep K Singh
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Amod Kumar
- Department of Zoology, Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
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Viegas C, Dias M, Monteiro A, Faria T, Lage J, Carolino E, Caetano LA, Gomes AQ, Almeida SM, Verde SC, Belo J, Canha N. Bioburden in sleeping environments from Portuguese dwellings. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 273:116417. [PMID: 33465652 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A wider characterization of indoor air quality during sleep is still lacking in the literature. This study intends to assess bioburden before and after sleeping periods in Portuguese dwellings through active methods (air sampling) coupled with passive methods, such as electrostatic dust cloths (EDC); and investigate associations between before and after sleeping and bioburden. In addition, and driven by the lack of information regarding fungi azole-resistance in Portuguese dwellings, a screening with supplemented media was also performed. The most prevalent genera of airborne bacteria identified in the indoor air of the bedrooms were Micrococcus (41%), Staphylococcus (15%) and Neisseria (9%). The major indoor bacterial species isolated in all ten studied bedrooms were Micrococcus luteus (30%), Staphylococcus aureus (13%) and Micrococcus varians (11%). Our results highlight that our bodies are the source of the majority of the bacteria found in the indoor air of our homes. Regarding air fungal contamination, Chrysosporium spp. presented the highest prevalence both in after the sleeping period (40.8%) and before the sleeping period (28.8%) followed by Penicillium spp. (23.47% morning; 23.6% night) and Chrysonilia spp. (12.4% morning; 20.3% night). Several Aspergillus sections were identified in air and EDC samples. However, none of the fungal species/strains (Aspergillus sections Fumigati, Flavi, Nidulantes and Circumdati) were amplified by qPCR in the analyzed EDC. The correlations observed suggest reduced susceptibility to antifungal drugs of some fungal species found in sleeping environments. Toxigenic fungal species and indicators of harmful fungal contamination were observed in sleeping environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Viegas
- H&TRC- Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de, Lisboa, Portugal; NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Centre, Universidade NOVA de, Lisboa, Portugal; Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC), Portugal.
| | - Marta Dias
- H&TRC- Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana Monteiro
- H&TRC- Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Tiago Faria
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, 2695-066, Bobadela-LRS, Portugal
| | - Joana Lage
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, 2695-066, Bobadela-LRS, Portugal
| | - Elisabete Carolino
- H&TRC- Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Liliana Aranha Caetano
- H&TRC- Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de, Lisboa, Portugal; Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Anita Quintal Gomes
- H&TRC- Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de, Lisboa, Portugal; University of Lisbon Institute of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Susana Marta Almeida
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, 2695-066, Bobadela-LRS, Portugal
| | - Sandra Cabo Verde
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, 2695-066, Bobadela-LRS, Portugal
| | - Joana Belo
- H&TRC- Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL- Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de, Lisboa, Portugal; Integrated Pathophysiological Mechanisms Research Group (CEDOC) - NMS-UNL, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Nuno Canha
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, 2695-066, Bobadela-LRS, Portugal; Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
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45
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Ishida Y, Vyas R, Chauhan G, Delgado L, Kourai H. Bacterial Contamination Analysis of Residential Toilet Room Environment and Delivery of Residual Bacterial Growth Prevention Efficacy on Residential Toilet Permeable Surfaces Using Toilet Air Freshener Product. Biocontrol Sci 2021; 26:85-93. [PMID: 34092718 DOI: 10.4265/bio.26.85] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Toilet malodor is one of the most concerned malodor in residential houses, so that many technologies and products have been developed by which is aiming to remove or reduce such toilet malodor. Toilet malodour is generated from human faecal matters left inside of toilet bowl and from that deposited outside of toilet bowl such as toilet floors. In order to remove or prevent the malodor generated outside of toilet bowl, it is effective to do more frequent cleaning of toilet room surfaces or place a deodorizer which mask the malodour by perfume. We developed a toilet deodorizer which is preventing malodor generation outside of toilet bowl more effectively by delivering antibacterial efficacy on toilet room permeable surfaces. We analyzed microbiological quality of residential toilet rooms and found that toilet floor is the most contaminated location by bacteria, so that we developed a test method using materials frequently used for residential toilet floors such as vinyl cushion and using bacteria commonly found in toilet room environment. As the results, we found the product can provide bacterial growth prevention efficacy on permeable materials and prevent toilet malodor effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiki Ishida
- Procter and Gamble International Operations SA Singapore branch
| | - Rahul Vyas
- Procter and Gamble International Operations SA Singapore branch
| | - Garima Chauhan
- Procter and Gamble International Operations SA Singapore branch
| | - Liliana Delgado
- Procter and Gamble International Operations SA Singapore branch
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46
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Fuhrmeister ER, Ercumen A, Grembi JA, Islam M, Pickering AJ, Nelson KL. Shared bacterial communities between soil, stored drinking water, and hands in rural Bangladeshi households. WATER RESEARCH X 2020; 9:100056. [PMID: 32529181 PMCID: PMC7276488 DOI: 10.1016/j.wroa.2020.100056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Understanding household-level transmission pathways of fecal pathogens can provide insight for developing effective strategies to reduce diarrheal illness in low- and middle-income countries. We applied whole bacterial community analysis to investigate pathways of bacterial transmission in 50 rural Bangladeshi households. SourceTracker was used to quantify the shared microbial community in household reservoirs (stored drinking water, soil, and hands) and estimate the percentage of fecal-associated bacteria from child and mothers' feces in these reservoirs. Among the reservoirs studied, most bacterial transfer occurred between mothers' and children's hands and between mothers' hands and stored water. The relative percentage of human fecal-associated bacteria in all household reservoirs was low. We also quantified the number of identical amplicon sequence variants within and between individual households to assess bacterial community exchange in the domestic environment. Intra-household sharing of bacteria between mothers' and children's hands and between hands and soil was significantly greater than inter-household sharing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica R. Fuhrmeister
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
| | - Ayse Ercumen
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27607, United States
| | - Jessica A. Grembi
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States
| | - Mahfuza Islam
- Environmental Intervention Unit, Infectious Disease Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh, Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Amy J. Pickering
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02153, United States
| | - Kara L. Nelson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
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Jaradat ZW, Ababneh QO, Sha’aban ST, Alkofahi AA, Assaleh D, Al Shara A. Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and public fomites: a review. Pathog Glob Health 2020; 114:426-450. [PMID: 33115375 PMCID: PMC7759291 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2020.1824112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus genus is a Gram-positive coccus normally associated with skin and mucous membranes of warm-blooded animals. It is part of the commensal human microflora, or found in animals, or contaminating surfaces in the community and hospital settings. Staphylococcus aureus is the most pathogenic species belonging to this genus, as it possesses a collection of virulence factors that are expressed solely to evade the immune system. The increase in the misuse of antimicrobial agents predisposed S. aureus to develop antibiotic resistance, including the resistance to methicillin which led to the emergence of Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus (MRSA). MRSA is considered one of the most dangerous nosocomial pathogens causing many hard to treat infections in hospitals and was named as Hospital Associated MRSA (HA-MRSA). Over the past 20-25 years, MRSA was isolated from community settings and thus Community Associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) has emerged. Inside hospitals, MRSA has been isolated from fomites in contact with patients, as well as staff's protective and personal items. This review highlights the worldwide prevalence of MRSA on fomites within the contexts of hospital and community settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziad W Jaradat
- Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan
| | | | - Sherin T Sha’aban
- Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan
| | - Ayesha A Alkofahi
- Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan
| | - Duaa Assaleh
- Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan
| | - Anan Al Shara
- Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan
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Mony C, Vandenkoornhuyse P, Bohannan BJM, Peay K, Leibold MA. A Landscape of Opportunities for Microbial Ecology Research. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:561427. [PMID: 33329422 PMCID: PMC7718007 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.561427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbes encompass tremendous biodiversity, provide support to all living forms, including humans, and play an important role in many ecosystem services. The rules that govern microorganism community assembly are increasingly revealed due to key advances in molecular and analytical methods but their understanding remain a key challenge in microbial ecology. The existence of biogeographic patterns within microbial communities has been established and explained in relation to landscape-scale processes, including selection, drift, dispersal and mutation. The effect of habitat patchiness on microorganisms' assembly rules remains though incompletely understood. Here, we review how landscape ecology principles can be adapted to explore new perspectives on the mechanisms that determine microbial community structure. To provide a general overview, we characterize microbial landscapes, the spatial and temporal scales of the mechanisms that drive microbial assembly and the feedback between microorganisms and landscape structure. We provide evidence for the effects of landscape heterogeneity, landscape fragmentation and landscape dynamics on microbial community structure, and show that predictions made for macro-organisms at least partly also apply to microorganisms. We explain why emerging metacommunity approaches in microbial ecology should include explicit characterization of landscape structure in their development and interpretation. We also explain how biotic interactions, such as competition, prey-predator or mutualist relations may influence the microbial landscape and may be involved in the above-mentioned feedback process. However, we argue that the application of landscape ecology to the microbial world cannot simply involve transposing existing theoretical frameworks. This is due to the particularity of these organisms, in terms of size, generation time, and for some of them, tight interaction with hosts. These characteristics imply dealing with unusual and dependent space and time scales of effect. Evolutionary processes have also a strong importance in microorganisms' response to their landscapes. Lastly, microorganisms' activity and distribution induce feedback effects on the landscape that have to be taken into account. The transposition of the landscape ecology framework to microorganisms provides many challenging research directions for microbial ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cendrine Mony
- UMR CNRS ECOBIO, Université de Rennes, Rennes, France
| | | | | | - Kabir Peay
- Department of Biology, University of Stanford, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Mathew A Leibold
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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Mhatre S, Wood JM, Sielaff AC, Mora M, Duller S, Singh NK, Karouia F, Moissl-Eichinger C, Venkateswaran K. Assessing the Risk of Transfer of Microorganisms at the International Space Station Due to Cargo Delivery by Commercial Resupply Vehicles. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:566412. [PMID: 33240227 PMCID: PMC7677455 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.566412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With increasing numbers of interplanetary missions, there is a need to establish robust protocols to ensure the protection of extraterrestrial planets being visited from contamination by terrestrial life forms. The current study is the first report comparing the commercial resupply vehicle (CRV) microbiome with the International Space Station (ISS) microbiome to understand the risks of contamination, thus serving as a model system for future planetary missions. RESULTS Samples obtained from the internal surfaces and ground support equipment of three CRV missions were subjected to various molecular techniques for microbial diversity analysis. In total, 25 samples were collected with eight defined locations from each CRV mission prior to launch. In general, the internal surfaces of vehicles were clean, with an order of magnitude fewer microbes compared to ground support equipment. The first CRV mission had a larger microbial population than subsequent CRV missions, which were clean as compared to the initial CRV locations sampled. Cultivation assays showed the presence of Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes and members of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. As expected, shotgun metagenome analyses revealed the presence of more microbial taxa compared to cultivation-based assays. The internal locations of the CRV microbiome reportedly showed the presence of microorganisms capable of tolerating ultraviolet radiation (e.g., Bacillus firmus) and clustered separately from the ISS microbiome. CONCLUSIONS The metagenome sequence comparison of the CRV microbiome with the ISS microbiome revealed significant differences showing that CRV microbiomes were a negligible part of the ISS environmental microbiome. These findings suggest that the maintenance protocols in cleaning CRV surfaces are highly effective in controlling the contaminating microbial population during cargo transfer to the ISS via the CRV route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snehit Mhatre
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Jason M. Wood
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Aleksandra Checinska Sielaff
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Maximilian Mora
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Stefanie Duller
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Nitin Kumar Singh
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Fathi Karouia
- Space Bioscience Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, United States
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Christine Moissl-Eichinger
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
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Infant Skin Bacterial Communities Vary by Skin Site and Infant Age across Populations in Mexico and the United States. mSystems 2020; 5:5/6/e00834-20. [PMID: 33144313 PMCID: PMC7646528 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00834-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This study contributes to the sparse literature on the infant skin microbiome in general, and the virtually nonexistent literature on the infant skin microbiome in a field setting. While microbiome research often addresses patterns at a national scale, this study addresses the influence of population-level factors, such as maternal socioeconomic status and contact with caregivers, on infant skin bacterial communities. This approach strengthens our understanding of how local variables influence the infant skin microbiome, and paves the way for additional studies to combine biological sample collection with questionnaires to adequately capture how specific behaviors dictate infant microbial exposures. Work in this realm has implications for infant care and health, as well as for investigating how the microbial communities of different body sites develop over time, with applications to specific health outcomes associated with the skin microbiome (e.g., immune system development or atopic dermatitis). Daily practices put humans in close contact with the surrounding environment, and differences in these practices have an impact on human physiology, development, and health. There is mounting evidence that the microbiome represents an interface that mediates interactions between the human body and the environment. In particular, the skin microbiome serves as the primary interface with the external environment and aids in host immune function by contributing as the first line of defense against pathogens. Despite these important connections, we have only a basic understanding of how the skin microbiome is first established, or which environmental factors contribute to its development. To this end, this study compared the skin bacterial communities of infants (n = 47) living in four populations in Mexico and the United States that span the socioeconomic gradient, where we predicted that variation in physical and social environments would shape the infant skin microbiome. Results of 16S rRNA bacterial gene sequencing on 119 samples (armpit, hand, and forehead) showed that infant skin bacterial diversity and composition are shaped by population-level factors, including those related to socioeconomic status and household composition, and vary by skin site and infant age. Differences in infant-environment interactions, including with other people, appear to vary across the populations, likely influencing infant microbial exposures and, in turn, the composition of infant skin bacterial communities. These findings suggest that variation in microbial exposures stemming from the local environment in infancy can impact the establishment of the skin microbiome across body sites, with implications for developmental and health outcomes. IMPORTANCE This study contributes to the sparse literature on the infant skin microbiome in general, and the virtually nonexistent literature on the infant skin microbiome in a field setting. While microbiome research often addresses patterns at a national scale, this study addresses the influence of population-level factors, such as maternal socioeconomic status and contact with caregivers, on infant skin bacterial communities. This approach strengthens our understanding of how local variables influence the infant skin microbiome, and paves the way for additional studies to combine biological sample collection with questionnaires to adequately capture how specific behaviors dictate infant microbial exposures. Work in this realm has implications for infant care and health, as well as for investigating how the microbial communities of different body sites develop over time, with applications to specific health outcomes associated with the skin microbiome (e.g., immune system development or atopic dermatitis).
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