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A Platform of Anti-biofilm Assays Suited to the Exploration of Natural Compound Libraries

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Published on: December 27, 2016

Opportunistic pathogens enriched in showerhead biofilms.

Leah M Feazel¹, Laura K Baumgartner, Kristen L Peterson

¹Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0347, USA.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

|October 7, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Showerheads harbor diverse microbial communities, including opportunistic pathogens like non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). These biofilms pose a potential health risk through inhaled aerosols, especially for immunocompromised individuals.

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Antibiotic Efficacy Testing in an Ex vivo Model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms in the Cystic Fibrosis Lung

Antibiotic Efficacy Testing in an Ex vivo Model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms in the Cystic Fibrosis Lung

Published on: January 22, 2021

Area of Science:

Environmental microbiology
Indoor microbiome studies
Public health microbiology

Background:

Daily environments expose humans to diverse microbes.
Showerheads are an interface for microbial exposure via aerosols.
Opportunistic pathogens are found in shower facilities, but their prevalence is unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate microbial composition of showerhead biofilms.
Identify microbial assemblages within the indoor environment.
Assess potential health risks from showerhead microbiota.

Main Methods:

Culture-independent technology used for analysis.
rRNA gene sequences analyzed from 45 U.S. showerhead sites.
Microbial composition of biofilms and waters determined.

Main Results:

Showerheads contain variable and complex microbial assemblages.
Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and opportunistic pathogens are enriched.
Pathogen levels in biofilms are significantly higher than in water.

Conclusions:

Showerheads are a significant source of aerosolized microbes.
Potential exposure to opportunistic pathogens exists.
Further investigation needed on health risks for vulnerable populations.