Wind Blown Microbes

Certain times of the year, we hear about Saharan dust reaching the US from Africa, carried by high atmospheric winds. And now a new study tells us something more worrying can be carried great distances by the wind: disease causing microbes.  

Researchers found microbes originating from an agricultural area in northeastern China traveled over 1,200 miles to Tokyo, Japan. The air samples were taken up to 2 miles above Tokyo over 10 plane flights. The microbes hitched a ride on unique dust particles that were traceable. They came from cereal fields that contained aerosolized sewage.  Not only did the dust particles carry bacteria and fungi, but they also protected the microbes from UV radiation and drying out in the atmosphere.  

More than 300 types of bacteria and 250 types of fungi were found in the air over Tokyo.  And up to 40 percent were species capable of causing disease in people such as the intestinal pathogens Clostridium difficile and E. coli. Some bacteria carried antibiotic-resistant genes which means they could be transferred to other bacteria.  There weren’t enough microbes to cause an outbreak, but the atmosphere could be a reservoir for these pathogens that can fall to the ground with rain.  

We used to believe that altitude air was generally considered sterile. Not anymore and since bacteria and fungi do not require a passport, we can’t keep them out.