Health Effects of Airborne Microbial Communities
A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Microbiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 33
Special Issue Editors
Interests: microbial ecology; atmospheric environments; aquatic environments; bacteria
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: microbial ecology; microbial genomics; metagenomics; holobiome; microbiome of the built environment; bioaerosol; culture methods; biotic and abiotic interaction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Bioaerosols are airborne particulate matter containing biological materials, such as microbes (e.g., bacteria, fungi, and viruses), pollen, and their fragments. These particles range in size from 0.001 to 100 μm. Exposure to bioaerosols may have adverse health effects on humans and animals, including infectious diseases, allergies, and cancer. While both indoor and outdoor air can be contaminated with biological contaminants, exposure to certain microbes can also be beneficial for health. The presence and spread of biological contaminants are influenced by factors such as temperature, relative humidity, air movement, and nutrient availability. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing technologies and metagenomic analyses have significantly enhanced our understanding of the diversity and functional characteristics of airborne microbial communities. However, much remains to be discovered about how these microbial communities impact human health. We welcome original research papers, reviews, and short communications on topics including the diversity, composition, and dynamics of microbial communities in indoor environments (homes, schools, hospitals, and offices) and outdoor environments (urban, rural, and industrial areas); the development of techniques for monitoring and detecting bioaerosols; associations between microbial exposure and health outcomes (infectious diseases, allergies, and immune modulation); and the impact of climate change and urbanization on the distribution of bioaerosols and their health effects. Through this Special Issue, we aim to share the latest findings in airborne microbial community research and explore potential applications for public health policies and indoor environment design, contributing to the creation of healthier living environments.
Prof. Dr. Daisuke Tanaka
Prof. Dr. Fumito Maruyama
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- microbial community
- diversity
- air
- atmosphere
- built environments
- monitoring
- bacteria
- fungi
- microorganisms
- bioaerosols
- health
- metagenomics
- bioinformatics
- infectious diseases
- allergies
- indoor air quality
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