Fomite Transmission Follows Invasion Ecology Principles.

ABSTRACT: The invasion ecology principles illustrated in many ecosystems have not yet been explored in the context of fomite transmission. We hypothesized that invaders in fomite transmission are trackable, are neutrally distributed between hands and environmental surfaces, and exhibit a proximity effect. To test this hypothesis, a surrogate invader, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, was spread by a root carrier in an office housing more than 20 participants undertaking normal activities, and the microbiotas on skin and environmental surfaces were analyzed before and after invasion. First, we found that the invader was trackable. Its identity and emission source could be determined using microbial-interaction networks, and the root carrier could be identified using a rank analysis.

SUBMITTER: Wang P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9238404 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature