According to a new study, pet dogs are responsible for bringing in a variety of bacteria into homes.
A new study that was published in PLoS ONE states that homes with pet dog have more bacteria than residences that don't have dogs. Also rare bacteria that are not found in houses without dogs can sometimes be found in ones that have dogs.
"We wanted to know what variables influence the microbial ecosystems in our homes, and the biggest difference we've found so far is whether you own a dog," co-author Rob Dunn, an associate professor of biology at North Carolina State, said in a press release. "We can tell whether you own a dog based on the bacteria we find on your television screen or pillow case. For example, there are bacteria normally found in soil that are 700 times more common in dog-owning households than in those without."
Dunn and his colleagues collected bacteria using sterile swabs from homes that didn't have a pet dog. They collected them from nine surfaces in total including the TV screen, refrigerator, cutting board, kitchen counter, toilet seat, pillow case, the trim around an interior door, exterior door handle and the trim around an exterior door. In all 7,726 different types of bacteria were found in places that people touch, their food touches and that collect dust.
However, researchers also noted that this find doesn't have only negative effects. They stated that women who have dogs in their homes while pregnant are more likely to have children without any allergies.
"Does it matter if you have kids or live in an apartment?" Dunn said. "We expect the microbial populations of homes in deserts to be different from the populations of homes in Manhattan, but no one knows if that's true. We want to find out."
