Art and Science of Laboratory Medicine

Art and Science of Laboratory Medicine

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

When you move, your microbes move with you

In a study published in Science in August, scientists cataloged the microbes of seven families, swabbing the hands, feet, and noses of each family member, including pets for six weeks. They also collected samples from doorknobs, light switches, and other household surfaces. Each home had a distinct microbial community that came mostly from its human inhabitants, and the scientists could tell which home a person lived in just by matching microbial profiles.

Three of the families moved during the study period, and it only took about a day for their microbes to settle in to the new place. As the journal’s editors put it: “When families moved, their microbiological ‘aura’ followed.”

Read more:
9 Amazing and Gross Things Scientists Discovered About Microbes This Year 

Source: Wired

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