title: Microbial rRNA sequencing analysis of evaporative cooler indoor environments located in the Great Basin Desert region of the United States.
abstract: Recent studies conducted in the Great Basin Desert region of the United States have shown that skin test reactivity to fungal and dust mite allergens are increased in children with asthma or allergy living in homes with evaporative coolers (EC). The objective of this study was to determine if the increased humidity previously reported in EC homes leads to varying microbial populations compared to homes with air conditioners (AC). Children with physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis living in EC or AC environments were recruited into the study. Air samples were collected from the child's bedroom for genomic DNA extraction and metagenomic analysis of bacteria and fungi using the Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform. The analysis of bacterial populations revealed no major differences between EC and AC sampling environments. The fungal populations observed in EC homes differed from AC homes. The most prevalent species discovered in AC environments belonged to the genera Cryptococcus (20%) and Aspergillus (20%). In contrast, the most common fungi identified in EC homes belonged to the order Pleosporales and included Alternaria alternata (32%) and Phoma spp. (22%). The variations in fungal populations provide preliminary evidence of the microbial burden children may be exposed to within EC environments in this region.
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Clinical Immunology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1095 Willowdale Road, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA. wrw0@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Angela R
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3057-9888
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Lemons
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Pediatrics Center, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Hogan
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, NV, USA.
authors.forename: Ruth A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Gault
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.affiliation: Assured Bio Labs, LLC, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sobek
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, NV, USA.
authors.forename: Kimberly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Olsen-Wilson
authors.affiliation: Field Studies Branch, Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Yeonmi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Field Studies Branch, Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Ju-Hyeong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics and Epidemiology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Ja Kook
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics and Epidemiology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Kashon
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Clinical Immunology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1095 Willowdale Road, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA. wrw0@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Brett J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000391:Air Microbiology; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003889:Desert Climate; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D005658:Fungi / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000032:analysis; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012331:RNA, Fungal; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal