Summary
This proof-of-principle study demonstrates that deliberate seeding of forest soil microbiota into urban homes via entryway rugs can successfully establish soil-associated bacteria in household dust, with effects most pronounced in homes with minimal competing microbial sources and greatest proximity to seeded rugs. The intervention increased bacterial diversity and an asthma-protective microbiota index in airborne dust near the intervention point, though fungal effects were inconsistent across homes. The findings suggest environmental microbiota modification as a potential strategy to restore health-promoting microbial exposures in urban indoor environments, though effectiveness is modulated by building characteristics and occupancy patterns.
Regional applicability
This Finnish study provides methodological proof-of-concept applicable to United Kingdom urban settings, though UK climate, housing stock heterogeneity, and baseline indoor microbiota patterns may differ materially. Transferability would require validation in UK homes to account for differences in ventilation standards, dampness prevalence, and pet ownership patterns, which significantly influenced intervention efficacy in this cohort.
Key measures
Relative abundance of forest soil bacteria in house dust; bacterial and fungal diversity indices; asthma protective microbiota index; bacterial and fungal loads; qPCR and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing; spatiotemporal distribution across infant breathing zones (IBZs), adult breathing zones (ABZs), and floor dust
Outcomes reported
The study measured changes in house dust microbiota composition, bacterial diversity, and asthma-protective microbiota indices following repeated seeding of forest soil onto home entryway rugs over a 20-week period in six Finnish urban homes. Spatiotemporal dynamics of microbial colonisation, including effects in infant and adult breathing zones, were quantified using qPCR and amplicon sequencing.
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