Airborne Microbial Communities at High-Altitude and Suburban Sites in Toyama, Japan Suggest a New Perspective for Bioprospecting

Airborne microorganisms, especially those at high altitude, are exposed to hostile conditions, including ultraviolet (UV) radiation, desiccation, and low temperatures. This study was conducted to compare the composition and abundance of airborne microorganisms at a high-altitude site, Mt. Jodo [2,839 m above mean sea level (AMSL)] and a suburban site (23 m AMSL) in Toyama, Japan. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate microbial communities in air samples collected simultaneously at two sites in relatively close proximity, from low and high altitude. Air samples were collected over a period of 3 years during 2009–2011. We then examined the bacterial and eukaryotic communities and estimated the abundance of bacteria and fungi with real-time TaqMan PCR. The airborne bacterial and eukaryotic communities differed between high-altitude and suburban sites on each sampling day. Backward trajectory analysis of air masses that arrived at high-altitude and suburban sites on each sampling day displayed almost the same paths. The bacterial communities were dominated by Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria, while the eukaryotic communities included Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Streptophyta. We also predicted some application of such microbial communities. The airborne bacterial and fungal abundance at the high-altitude site was about two times lower than that at the suburban site. These results showed that each airborne microbial communities have locality even if they are collected close location

VIBE（Viruses in the Built Environment）ミーティングレポート

本文は© Prussin et al. 2020 Viruses in the Built Environment (VIBE) meeting report Microbiome 8:1 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-019-0777-4 を日本語に翻訳したものある

建物を健康にするには、なんでもかんでも消毒するのはやめよう

本文はCaroline Winter To Make a Building Healthier, Stop Sanitizing Everything. Bloomberg Businessweek. 2020年12月16日 19:00JST (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-12-16/covid-pandemic-microbiomes-could-be-key-to-stopping-spread-of-future-viruses) を日本語に翻訳したものである。本文は出版社より許可を得て翻訳したものである

FAQ : 建築環境の微生物学 : 2015年9月にワシントンDCで開催されたAcademy of Microbiology会議の報告

本文はAnne S. Marsh、FAQ Microbiology of Built Environments、Report on an American Academy of Microbiology Colloquium held in Washington, DC, in September 2015、Bookshelf ID: NBK519802 PMID: 30176129 DOI: 10.1128/AAMCol.Sept.2015を日本語に翻訳したものである。この翻訳者はアメリカ微生物学会より以下のような特別な許可を得ています。 "We grant Dr. Fumito Maruyama the right to translate the FAQ: Microbiology of Built Environments colloquium report to Japanese and use the translated version for the purpose as requested. The translated version must include the disclaimer that the original version in English is copyrighted by ASM and is an intellectual property of ASM. However, ASM is not responsible for the accuracy of the translation. The translated version can be used for teaching purposes only. The disclaimer must be mentioned whenever the translated version is used (e.g., when posted online or discussed in class).

Transmission of Airborne Bacteria across Built Environments and Its Measurement Standards: A Review

Human health is influenced by various factors including microorganisms present in built environments where people spend most of their lives (approximately 90%). It is therefore necessary to monitor and control indoor airborne microbes for occupational safety and public health. Most studies concerning airborne microorganisms have focused on fungi, with scant data available concerning bacteria. The present review considers papers published from 2010 to 2017 approximately and factors affecting properties of indoor airborne bacteria (communities and concentration) with respect to temporal perspective and to multiscale interaction viewpoint. From a temporal perspective, bacterial concentrations in built environments change depending on numbers of human occupancy, while properties of bacterial communities tend to remain stable. Similarly, the bacteria found in social and community spaces such as offices, classrooms and hospitals are mainly associated with human occupancy. Other major sources of indoor airborne bacteria are (i) outdoor environments, and (ii) the building materials themselves. Indoor bacterial communities and concentrations are varied with varying interferences by outdoor environment. Airborne bacteria from the outdoor environment enter an indoor space through open doors and windows, while indoor bacteria are simultaneously released to the outer environment. Outdoor bacterial communities and their concentrations are also affected by geographical factors such as types of land use and their spatial distribution. The bacteria found in built environments therefore originate from any of the natural and man-made surroundings around humans. Therefore, to better understand the factors influencing bacterial concentrations and communities in built environments, we should study all the environments that humans contact as a single ecosystem. In this review, we propose the establishment of a standard procedure for assessing properties of indoor airborne bacteria using four factors: temperature, relative humidity (RH), air exchange rate, and occupant density, as a minimum requirement. We also summarize the relevant legislation by country. Choice of factors to measure remain controversial are discussed