Environmental Factors Associated with the Winter-Season Microorganisms Found in Single Family Residences PDF

The objective of this research is to identify factors within the home environment that influence the community of bacteria and fungi found within thehome. The study spans one year to evaluate temporal variation and seasonal relationships. The study population is fifteen single-family residenceson the northern front range of Colorado. The homes vary in age, design, heating and ventilation systems, type of fuel source, rural or urbanlocation, and the number of children, pets, and plants. Twice each season the research team visits the homes to collect detailed 24-h measurementsof indoor and outdoor environmental quality, and collect air and surface samples for microbial sequencing using the Illumina HiSeq platform.Investigators document the building infrastructure with a walk-through inspection and volunteer participants complete a questionnaire and activitydiary for the sample period. This paper focuses on findings for the home environment from the winter season investigation.