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Spatial variation of airborne bacterial heterogeneity and potential opportunistic human pathogens: a comparative study of sites in Korea and Japan

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Abstract

Biological particles known as bioaerosols are present in the atmosphere and have recently been implicated as influencing agriculture, cloud development, biogeography, and human health. The present study was conducted to characterize airborne bacterial heterogeneity at Jeju Island in Korea and at Saitama and Toyama in Japan, focusing on potential human pathogens. Air samples were collected during the winter, when the monsoon blows from the northwest. Samples were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes to detect spatial differences in airborne bacteria and the possible spread of bacteria by transboundary transport. Compositions of the bacterial in samples collected on the same dates from the different sites were similar. Notably, bacteria from two genera that are potentially pathogenic for humans—Acinetobacter and Clostridium—were detected on the same day in both Korea and Japan. These results indicate the possibility of long-range transport of airborne bacteria and its potential impact on human health.

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Data availability

The datasets used and/or analysed in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Professor Chul-Goo Hu (Atmospheric Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering, Jeju National University) for sampling and helpful comments. We also thank Michelle Kahmeyer-Gabbe, PhD, from Edanz Group (https://en-author-services.edanzgroup.com/) for editing a draft of this manuscript.

Funding

This work was supported by Jeju Green Environment Support Center research and development projects, 2015–2016, and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI (Grant Numbers 17K00579, 19KK0263, and 21H03611).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Science, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama, 930-8555, Japan

    Makoto Seki, Reika Iwamoto, Kei Sato & Daisuke Tanaka

  2. Center for Environmental Science in Saitama (CESS), 914 Kamitanadare, Kazo, Saitama, 347-0115, Japan

    Hitoshi Tanaka & Shinichi Yonemochi

  3. Department of Environmental Engineering, Jeju National University, Jeju, 63243, Korea

    Ki-Ho Lee & Young-Ju Kim

  4. Il-Seong Landscape Co, Ltd., 56-46 Seondol Mokdong-gil Jeju-si, Jeju, 63243, Korea

    Young-Ju Kim

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  1. Makoto Seki
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  2. Hitoshi Tanaka
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  3. Shinichi Yonemochi
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  4. Ki-Ho Lee
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Contributions

H.T., S.Y., K.H.L., and D.T. designed the experiments. H.T., S.Y., K.H.L., Y.J.K., K.S., and D.T. conducted experiments. M.S., H.T., S.Y., K.H.L., R.I., K.S., and D.T. conducted data analyses. M.S., R.I., and D.T. drafted the manuscript. All the authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Daisuke Tanaka.

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Seki, M., Tanaka, H., Yonemochi, S. et al. Spatial variation of airborne bacterial heterogeneity and potential opportunistic human pathogens: a comparative study of sites in Korea and Japan. Aerobiologia (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-024-09817-x

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