Transfer of Microorganisms Between Green Areas and Humans
- Conditions
- Microbial Colonization
- Interventions
- Other: Visiting a green space
- Registration Number
- NCT06574724
- Lead Sponsor
- Universiteit Antwerpen
- Brief Summary
The goal of this study is to understand how visiting green areas affects the human microbiome through microbial transfer. Additionally, the project aims to understand which environmental, health and lifestyle factors can influence these microbiome changes. Participants will visit a green area, provide microbiome samples before and after the visit, and complete questionnaires related to environmental, health, lifestyle and demographic factors.
- Detailed Description
Several hypotheses propose that the modern surge in immune disorders is related to diminished contact with nature. Specifically, the Biodiversity hypothesis emphasizes that contact with natural environments enriches the human microbiome and is necessary for promoting immune balance. This project aims to investigate whether visiting green areas can contribute to changes in human microbiome composition. Additionally, the investigators aim to explore the environmental, health and lifestyle factors that can influence these microbiome changes. Adults and/or children will be asked to visit a green space (such as an urban park) and perform specific activities (such as walking or pushing a stroller) for a defined time period. Before and after this visit, swabs of their skin and nose will be collected to analyze microbiome changes. In addition, questionnaires will be administered to the participants, with the goal to align microbiome changes with environmental, health, lifestyle and demographic factors.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- RECRUITING
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 150
Not provided
Not provided
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- SINGLE_GROUP
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Green space intervention Visiting a green space Participants that visit a green space
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Microbiome changes Two time points directly before and after the intervention (on 1 day) Microbiome sequencing will be performed to assess changes in microbial community composition of nasal and skin swabs, focusing on abundances and diversity of different microorganisms and their genes
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Specific microorganisms within the skin and nasal microbiomes Two time points directly before and after the intervention (on 1 day) Specific microorganisms within the participants' microbiomes will be assessed through culturing of swabs and/or quantification via qPCR
Associations between the human microbiome and environment Two time points directly before and after the intervention (on 1 day) Human microbiome composition and diversity (as assessed in outcome "Microbiome changes") will be correlated with the green space environment characteristics, such as the environmental (microbiome) biodiversity
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Universiteit Antwerpen
🇧🇪Antwerp, Belgium