Study discovers households marked by 'signature' bacteria

The study followed seven families for six weeks, requiring them to constantly swab their household surfaces and themselves. Researchers at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory, with help from a team at the University of Maryland, College Park, said they were surprised at how quickly the bacterial fingerprint spread. Three of the families moved over the course of the study. "We leave a unique fingerprint in our homes in less than 24 hours after we move into it," said Jack Gilbert, a microbiologist at Argonne who led the study. http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2014-08-28/health/bs-hs-home-bacteria-20140828_1_bacteria-types-new-environments-jack-gilbert