Microbe mix varies by kind of home
Walled-in urban homes collect more bacteria shed by humans
By Meghan Rosen
WASHINGTON — From the jungle to the city, humans’ microbial houseguests vary.
The community of bacteria teeming in people’s homes changes as dwellings get more urban, researchers report February 12 in Science Advances. In the city, more household bacteria come from humans, study coauthor Maria Dominguez-Bello said at a news conference February 11 at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Some of these bacteria could cause diseases. Urban living may also keep out environmental microbes, which help people’s immune systems develop.