Environmental Influences of High-Density Agricultural Animal Operation on Human Forearm Skin Microflora

Abstract

The human forearm skin microbiome ecosystem contains rich and diverse microbes, which are influenced by environmental exposures. The microbial representatives can be exchanged between human and environment, specifically animals, by which they share certain or similar epidermal microbes. Livestock and poultry are the microbial sources that are associated with the transmission of community-based pathogenic infections. Here, in this study, we proposed investigating the environmental influences introduced by livestock/poultry operations on forearm skin microflora of on-site farm workers. A total of 30 human skin swab samples were collected from 20 animal workers in dairy or integrated farms and 10 healthy volunteer controls. The skin microbiome was 16S metagenomics that were sequenced with Illumina MiSeq system. For skin microbial community analysis, the abundance of major phyla and genera as well as alpha and beta diversities were compared across groups. We identified distinctive microbial compositional patterns on skin of workers in farm with different animal commodities. Workers in integrated farms containing various animals were associated with higher abundances of epidermal Proteobacteria, especially Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter, but lower Actinobacteria, especially Corynebacterium and Propionibacterium. For those workers with frequent dairy cattle operations, their Firmicutes in the forearm skin microbiota were enriched. Furthermore, farm animal operations also reduced Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, as well as modulated the microbial biodiversity in farm workers’ skin microbiome. The alterations of forearm skin microflora in farm workers, influenced by their frequent farm animal operations, may increase their risk in skin infections with unusual pathogens and epidermal diseases.

Human Skin Microbiome: Impact of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors on Skin Microbiota

“…The reductions in Corynebacterium and Cutibacterium numbers and increases in Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter amounts were observed primarily in farmworkers who were in contact with various species of farm animals [ 77 ].…”

Influence of Manure Application on the Soil Bacterial Microbiome in Integrated Crop-Livestock Farms in Maryland

“…Dataset processing was performed in accordance with the method previously described [21,22]. The raw sequence dataset was demultiplexed using BCL2FastQ and the PhiX sequence was removed using DeconSeq.…”

WORKbiota: A Systematic Review about the Effects of Occupational Exposure on Microbiota and Workers’ Health

“…Peng et al found significantly higher levels of Proteobacteria (Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter, p < 0.05) but lower Actinobacteria (Corynebacterium and Propionibacterium, p < 0.05) on fore-arm skin microbiota of farmworkers. Frequent farm animal operations also demonstrated a reduction in Staphylococcus and Streptococcus [51]. Only one study analyzed gender and age-related differences in animal-exposed workers' microbiota.…”