Moving home? Your microbes are coming too

摘要

You may forget your toothbrush when you go away - but you can't leave your microbes. Millions of them hitch a ride on you, and in just 24 hours they can take over an entire house. The cells of our bodies are outnumbered 10 to 1 by microbial cells. Every time we breathe, sneeze or cough we leave traces of these organisms. Because people generally spend a lot of time at home, most of this microbial shedding is done there. Jack Gilbert from the University of Chicago and his colleagues have now mapped the microbial hangers-on of seven human families, including three that were in the process of moving house. The families came from different parts of the US and from varying socio-economic backgrounds and ethnicities. Over six weeks, the team took swabs from the feet, hands and noses of 18 people. They also took samples from door knobs, floors, light switches and kitchen surfaces.