Human Hands and Fingernails

Description of Niche

Physical Conditions?

What are the conditions in your niche? Temperature, pressure, pH, moisture, etc.

Influence by Adjacent Communities (if any)

Is your niche close to another niche or influenced by another community of organisms?

Conditions under which the environment changes

Do any of the physical conditions change? Are there chemicals, other organisms, nutrients, etc. that might change the community of your niche.

Who lives there?

Which microbes are present?

You may refer to organisms by genus or by genus and species, depending upon how detailed the your information might be. If there is already a microbewiki page describing that organism, make a link to it.

Do the microbes that are present interact with each other?

Describe any negative (competition) or positive (symbiosis) behavior

Do the microbes change their environment?

Do they alter pH, attach to surfaces, secrete anything, etc. etc.

Do the microbes carry out any metabolism that affects their environment?

Do they ferment sugars to produce acid, break down large molecules, fix nitrogen, etc. etc.

Current Research

‘Super’ bacteria live on sheets, fingernails: study (June 2005 by ABC News)

On June 6, 2005, U.S researchers reported MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ) is commonly found on computer keyboard covers and under fingernails causing rashes and infections. MRSA has resistance to almost everything besides an antibiotic called vancomycin. Vancomycin binds the end of D-ala D-ala which blocks transpeptidation of bacteria to inhibit its growth. Although Staphylococcus aureus is usually harmless and found on skin, it can sometimes cause necrotizing fasciitis or “flesh-eating” disease in hospitals. A study at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago showed that computer keyboard can contaminate the fingers of a doctor or a nurse, then further transfer the bacteria to patients causing deadly infections.

Onycomycosis due to artificial nails (Mar 2008 by J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol)

Although the use of artificial nails as part of cosmetics is very popular these days, several bacterial and fungal infections such as Onycomycosis have been found in patients using artificial nails. Onycomycosis is a fungal infection of the nail which causes 50% of all nail diseases and affects 18% of the general population. Onychomycosis was found to be very common in nail changes due to artificial nails. The researchers performed KOH examination and fungal culture to detect the fungal infection from the distal part of the nail and from the proximal nail fold. The results shows both KOH and culture were significantly better in the samples from the distal part of the nail compared to the samples from the proximal nail fold. The study demonstrates the use of artificial nails can lead to increasing chance of transmitting bacteria. People should avoid using artificial nails especially for health care personnel and workers in the food industry.

Ultraviolet C inactivation of dermatophytes: implications for treatment of Onychomycosis. (Jun 2008 by Br J Dermatol)

In this study, researchers were trying to find alternative treatments besides antifungals to treat Onychomycosis. The major purpose of this study is to test whether ultraviolet C is able to sterilize a novel ex vivo model of nail infection. Infected human toenail clippings were irradiated with ultraviolet C (254 mm) at a radiant exposure of 36-864 J cm(-2). The results show that ultraviolet C successfully inactivated Trichophyton rubrum and its resistance to ultraviolet C did not increase after five cycles of inactivation in vitro. The radiant exposure might vary depends on the thickness of the vivo culture. Ultraviolet C irradiation might become an alternative treatment for Onychomycosis in the future after researchers find a way to prevent mutations caused by ultraviolet irradiation.

Fast and sensitive detection of Trichophyton rubrum DNA from the nail samples of patients with onychomycosis by a double-round polymerase chain reaction-based assay. (Oct 2007 by Br J Dermatol)

Trichophyton rubrum is one of the pathogens that can be isolated from patients who have Onychomycosis. Using traditional culture-based method to isolate Trichophyton rubrum is a time-consuming process and usually leads to false detection. The study shows it is possible to detect Trichophyton rubrum in fingernail samples using double-round polymerase chain reaction-based assay which is used for DNA detection. The isolated Trichophyton rubrum DNA was amplified using actin gene and internal transcribed spacer 1 in double-round polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The combined detections shows positive results in patients undergo fungal infections. The results suggest PCR is a fast, sensitive and accurate method for fungal detection.

Yale University Experiment

Dr. David Katz of Yale University in the United States and his students did an experiment to test out the bacteria grows under fingernail. They took swab from under fingernails from different students and let the bacteria to grow. Dr. Katz also took another swab after they wash their hands. After 3 days of growing time, they found out short painted nails have least of bacteria growth. On the other hand, long unpainted nails have most of growth. The reason is because of shorter fingernails are easier to clean. The nail polish is constituted of phthalates, toluene, and formaldehyde which are toxic minimizing bacterial growth. The technique of hand washing is also important for limiting bacteria under fingernail. Washing hand properly can kill most bacteria under fingernails

References

[Sample reference] Takai, K., Sugai, A., Itoh, T., and Horikoshi, K. "Palaeococcus ferrophilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a barophilic, hyperthermophilic archaeon from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 2000. Volume 50. p. 489-500.

Edited by [Chao-Lin Chen], students of Rachel Larsen