Please read Dr. Gitai’s article in PLOS ONE titled, “Bacterial viability in the built environment of the home.“
The built environment (BE) consists of human-made structures such as homes, vehicles, workplaces, or schools. Like living organisms, the built environment is home to a vast repertoire of microbial life, called the “microbiome,”. The BE microbiome and its potential effects on humans has become an increasingly important area of interest as humans spend more time indoors, especially in cities. As of 2020, 56.2% of the world population are living in urban areas with 83% of the U.S. population living in cities, a large jump from 68% in 1950. This transition to urbanization has caused most people in developed countries to spend 90% of their time indoors. Living indoors was intended to protect people from the harsh factors of the natural environment, including harmful microorganisms often associated with animals or untreated water supplies. But increased association with the BE might also introduce new risks from increased exposure to the BE microbiome. To read the full article.
Bacterial viability in the built environment of the home. Xie J, Acosta EM, Gitai Z. PLoS One. 2023 Nov 8;18(11):e0288092. PMID: 37939059 PMCID: PMC10631670 DOI: 1371/journal.pone.0288092