Comparing the temporal colonization and microbial diversity of showerhead biofilms in Hawai'i and Colorado

FEMS Microbiology Letters
Jonathan AbeJennifer R Honda

Abstract

The household is a potential source of opportunistic pathogens to humans, a particularly critical issue for immunodeficient individuals. An important human-microbe interface is the biofilm that develops on showerhead surfaces. Once microbe-laden biofilms become aerosolized, they can potentially be inhaled into the lungs. Understanding how quickly a new showerhead becomes colonized would provide useful information to minimize exposure to potentially pathogenic environmental microbes. High school scientists sampled the inner surfaces of pre-existing and newly fitted showerheads monthly over a nine-month period and applied standard microbiologic culture techniques to qualitatively assess microbial growth. Water chemistry was also monitored using commercial test strips. Sampling was performed in households on Oahu, Hawai'i and Denver, Colorado, representing warm/humid and cold/arid environments, respectively. Pre-existing showerheads in Hawai'i showed more diverse microbial growth and significantly greater microbial numbers than a comparable showerhead from Colorado. New, chrome-plated or plastic showerheads in Hawai'i showed diverse and abundant growth one month after installment compared to new showerheads from Colorado. The pH, ...Continue Reading

References

Jun 1, 1992·Tubercle and Lung Disease : the Official Journal of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease·R Schulze-RöbbeckeR Fischeder
Nov 1, 1985·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·G E BollinB Hackman
Oct 10, 2002·Clinics in Chest Medicine·Joseph O Falkinham
Aug 9, 2003·Current Allergy and Asthma Reports·Peyton A Eggleston
Sep 8, 2004·Water Research·Ursula TelgmannEberhard Morgenroth
Oct 24, 2006·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Mary Ann De GrooteJoseph O Falkinham
Sep 24, 2008·Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·Shannon H Kasperbauer, Charles L Daley
Jul 8, 2009·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Sarah D PerkinsLargus T Angenent
Oct 7, 2009·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Leah M FeazelNorman R Pace
Jan 21, 2010·Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases·David E Griffith
Jun 5, 2010·Future Microbiology·Joseph O Falkinham
Sep 20, 2011·Water Research·Mary E Schoen, Nicholas J Ashbolt
Feb 9, 2012·American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·Jennifer AdjemianD Rebecca Prevots
Mar 6, 2013·Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·Joseph O Falkinham
Nov 21, 2014·PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases·Jonathan D SugimotoIra M Longini
Apr 29, 2015·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Joseph O Falkinham

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Oct 26, 2016·PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases·Jennifer R HondaMichael Strong
Sep 25, 2019·FEMS Microbiology Letters·Beatrix Fahnert
Jul 3, 2021·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Ayat AbourashedEric C M van Gorp

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Biofilm & Infectious Disease

Biofilm formation is a key virulence factor for a wide range of microorganisms that cause chronic infections.Here is the latest research on biofilm and infectious diseases.

© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved