OK. I know. Microbes are everywhere. And so we need to get away from sensationalizing another study of “germs” in some environment. But in this case, I confess, I was a bit grossed out: “Kiddie pools are hotspots of bacteria, expert says” from the Visalia Times. A version of the story is also on Medline …
Does heavy drinking affect the bacteria in your living room air? I don’t know, but some work I saw at ASM suggests that it might. At the poster session on Day 3, Valdis Krumins from Rutgers had a poster reporting efforts to understand the effect on airborne bacterial concentrations (or, at least, their ribosomal 16S …
The University of Chicago has just opened a massive new hospital on the university campus. Jack Gilbert is PI on a study of the evolution of the hospital microbiome funded by the Sloan Foundation. The evolution of the microbiomes in a set of hospital rooms is being studied continuously beginning before the hospital accepted the …
[edited from the ASHRAE press release] Changes to clarify requirements in a proposed standard are open for public comment. The proposed ASHRAE standard, 188P, Prevention of Legionellosis Associated with Building Water Systems, specifies what must be done to control the spread of legionellosis. The standard helps facility managers/owners understand how to apply the available information …
Definitely worth a look for those interested in water systems and in microbiology of the built environment: Microbes in Pipes: The Microbiology of the Water Distribution System, January 2013. From the American Academy of Microbiology.
Hmm – in this story in the LA Times: Natural swimming ponds – latimes.com there is a discussion of a move towards more “natural” swimming pools using less chlorine. And there is a part of the article of which I am deeply skeptical BioNova pools, as well as those designed locally by Environmental Sculpturing, are biologically active. …
Postdoctoral Position in Environmental Metagenomics, Norman Pace Lab, Boulder, CO Available September 1, 2012, three years appointment, NIH salary grades. A three-year Research Associate position is available for participation with a team studying the microbial metagenomics of municipal water distribution systems. Although seemingly a mundane setting, little is known about the microbiology of municipal drinking …
A UN panel has issued a recent report on the cholera outbreak in Haiti. The report reviews genetic, genomic, epidemiological and other studies that relate to the origins of the cholera outbreak. The conclusion is a bit disconcerting – most likely the outbreak was introduced by UN personnel and was related to poor construction of …
Just a quick post here – there is more detail on the recent JHU study on bacteria in faucets. Electronic faucets hinder, not help, hospital infection control | Johns Hopkins University – The Gazette.
Not yet published but this study could be of interest: Hands-free faucets harbor germs, Johns Hopkins study says – Los Angeles Times. . Not that surprising mind you but many people do assume that hands free faucets are clean.