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Author ORCID Identifier
https:/orcid.org/0009-0009-6264-8201
Date Available
4-9-2028
Year of Publication
2026
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Civil Engineering (MCE)
College
Engineering
Department/School/Program
Civil Engineering
Faculty
Minjae Kim
Faculty
Mei Chen
Abstract
Healthcare associated infections (HAIs) lead to tens of thousands of deaths annually, with 21.6% being caused by water. This is due to Opportunistic Premise Plumbing Pathogens (OPPPs); which are resistant to disinfection and thrive in pipe biofilms. To investigate this issue, shotgun metagenomic sequencing and antibiotic resistance testing was done on samples from a university to determine microbiome characteristics. The areas of interest are water-related devices in healthcare associated and non-healthcare buildings with high foot traffic. Specifically, sink drain surfaces and interiors within a university campus, in non-healthcare areas that receive foot traffic from patients and families in passing, and areas that are not for patients, where researchers and staff work. Swab samples were taken for DNA extraction, and then the DNA was sequenced to generate shotgun metagenomic datasets. No significant differences were found in ARG or VF abundance patterns, nor diversity metrics. Significant differences were seen in taxa across building types. Various OPPPs were recovered from all building types. This research is important for identifying potential health risks for immunocompromised individuals.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2026.37
Archival?
Archival
Funding Information
This project was supported by UK-CARES through Grant P30 ES026529 in 2024. The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. This publication was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through Grant Number R25GM143298 in 2024. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of General Medical Sciences.
Recommended Citation
Cruz, Ka'ili, "Exploring Environmental Microbiomes: A Genome Centric Approach Comparing Healthcare Related and Non-healthcare Settings" (2026). Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering. 166.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/ce_etds/166
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Civil Engineering Commons, Environmental Engineering Commons, Environmental Microbiology and Microbial Ecology Commons, Pathogenic Microbiology Commons
