Influence of pig farming on the human's nasal microbiota: The key role of the airborne microbial communities

We performed a study comparing the nasal microbiota of pigs with the air microbiota in pig-farmers and the nasal microbiota of individuals working in these pig farms in Switzerland. Pig farms (n=28) were visited in 2014 and 2015 and in total nasal swabs from 43 pig-farmers and 53 pigs were collected and air samples from 26 farms. As controls, nasal swabs from 16 cow-farmers and 26 individuals with no contact to farm animals were collected. Analysis of the microbiota was performed based on 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. Distinctly different bacterial communities were found in nasal samples from pig farmers compared to non-exposed individuals and cow farmers. Eighty-two Sequence Variants which predominantly occured in samples from pig farms were identified.