Abstract
Public fitness centers and exercise facilities have been implicated as possible sources for transmitting community-acquired bacterial infections. However, the overall diversity of the bacterial community residing on the surfaces in these indoor environments is still unknown. In this study, we investigated the overall bacterial ecology of selected fitness centers in a metropolitan area (Memphis, TN, USA) utilizing culture-independent pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA genes. Samples were collected from the skin-contact surfaces (e.g., exercise instruments, floor mats, handrails, etc.) within fitness centers. Taxonomical composition revealed the abundance of Firmicutes phyla, followed by Proteobacter and Actinobacteria, with a total of 17 bacterial families and 25 bacterial genera. Most of these bacterial genera are of human and environmental origin (including, air, dust, soil, and water). Additionally, we found the presence of some pathogenic or potential pathogenic bacterial genera including Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella, and Micrococcus. Staphylococcus was found to be the most prevalent genus. Presence of viable forms of these pathogens elevates risk of exposure of any susceptible individuals. Several factors (including personal hygiene, surface cleaning and disinfection schedules of the facilities) may be the reasons for the rich bacterial diversity found in this study. The current finding underscores the need to increase public awareness on the importance of personal hygiene and sanitation for public gym users.
Highlights
As we aspire to stay fit and healthy, many of us regularly visit fitness centers or “gyms”
A total of 111,663 sequences were utilized for the analyses of the eleven sample groups
This study explored the bacterial loads and diversity associated with different equipment surfaces in fitness centers using culture independent sequencing based methods
Summary
As we aspire to stay fit and healthy, many of us regularly visit fitness centers or “gyms”. It is important to note that the overall microbial load and diversity of the environment are often implicated as a critical indicator of hygiene and cleanliness [3,4,5]. Several previous studies focusing on environmental hygiene and sanitation (e.g., in food production or health care settings) had found a direct relationship between microbial load in the surrounding environment and the risk of pathogen transmission [4,6,7]. An understanding of overall bacterial population and diversity in gymnasiums and athletic facilities would obviously shed light on the risk of the pathogen propagation from these facilities. Most of the studies reported to date from gymnasiums, playgrounds, athletic facilities, or venues where individuals come in contact with others are focused on the transmission of staphylococci, in particular on methicillin-resistant
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