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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, July 2004, p. 4187-4192, Vol. 70, No. 7
0099-2240/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.7.4187-4192.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Molecular Analysis of Shower Curtain Biofilm Microbes

Scott T. Kelley,1,{dagger} Ulrike Theisen,2,{dagger} Largus T. Angenent,3 Allison St. Amand,2 and Norman R. Pace2*

Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182,1 Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0347,2 Environmental Engineering Science Program, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 631303

Received 10 December 2003/ Accepted 25 March 2004

Households provide environments that encourage the formation of microbial communities, often as biofilms. Such biofilms constitute potential reservoirs for pathogens, particularly for immune-compromised individuals. One household environment that potentially accumulates microbial biofilms is that provided by vinyl shower curtains. Over time, vinyl shower curtains accumulate films, commonly referred to as "soap scum," which microscopy reveals are constituted of lush microbial biofilms. To determine the kinds of microbes that constitute shower curtain biofilms and thereby to identify potential opportunistic pathogens, we conducted an analysis of rRNA genes obtained by PCR from four vinyl shower curtains from different households. Each of the shower curtain communities was highly complex. No sequence was identical to one in the databases, and no identical sequences were encountered in the different communities. However, the sequences generally represented similar phylogenetic kinds of organisms. Particularly abundant sequences represented members of the {alpha}-group of proteobacteria, mainly Sphingomonas spp. and Methylobacterium spp. Both of these genera are known to include opportunistic pathogens, and several of the sequences obtained from the environmental DNA samples were closely related to known pathogens. Such organisms have also been linked to biofilm formation associated with water reservoirs and conduits. In addition, the study detected many other kinds of organisms at lower abundances. These results show that shower curtains are a potential source of opportunistic pathogens associated with biofilms. Frequent cleaning or disposal of shower curtains is indicated, particularly in households with immune-compromised individuals.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado at Boulder, Campus Box 0347, Boulder, CO 80309-0347. Phone: (303) 735-1864. Fax: (303) 492-7744. E-mail: norman.pace{at}colorado.edu.

{dagger} S.T.K. and U.T. contributed equally to this work.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, July 2004, p. 4187-4192, Vol. 70, No. 7
0099-2240/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.7.4187-4192.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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