Indoor temperature, humidity, and microorganisms in traditional and modern houses in Japan

Abstract

Microorganisms in our living environment may affect human health. Microbial suppression by air cleaners and disinfecting agents may provide protection from pathogenic materials. However, excessive microbial suppression can negatively affect human health; thus, an appropriate level of microbiome control is beneficial. It is not well understood how physical environmental conditions, such as temperature and relative humidity, and human lifestyles and behaviors affect indoor microorganisms. To understand the relationship between physical environmental conditions and microbial communities in the human living environment, we measured temperature and relative humidity and collected microbial samples in modern and traditional Japanese houses. In this study, bacteria and fungi were the target microorganisms. In both houses, the DNA concentration of microorganisms on floor surfaces was high when the average relative humidity of the room was high. The same tendency was observed for the beam and pillar surfaces in the traditional house. Although more careful consideration is needed for some indoor surfaces, such as storage ceilings and air conditioner outlets, seasonal changes in relative humidity and DNA concentrations of microorganisms on indoor surfaces exhibit some correlation.