Do Rural Second Homes Shape Commensal Microbiota of Urban Dwellers? A Pilot Study among Urban Elderly in Finland

Mika Saarenpää, Marja I. Roslund, Riikka Puhakka, Mira Grönroos, Anirudra Parajuli, Nan Hui, Noora Nurminen, Olli H. Laitinen, Heikki Hyöty, Ondrej Cinek, Aki Sinkkonen and the ADELE Research Group
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Mika Saarenpää: Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland
Marja I. Roslund: Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland
Riikka Puhakka: Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland
Mira Grönroos: Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland
Anirudra Parajuli: Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland
Nan Hui: Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland
Noora Nurminen: Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland
Olli H. Laitinen: Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland
Heikki Hyöty: Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland
Ondrej Cinek: Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, V Úvalu 84, 150 06 Prague 5, Czech Republic
Aki Sinkkonen: Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland
the ADELE Research Group: The ADELE research group: Damiano Cerrone, Mira Grönroos, Nan Hui, Heikki Hyöty, Olli H. Laitinen, Iida Mäkelä, Noora Nurminen, Sami Oikarinen, Anirudra Parajuli, Riikka Puhakka, Juho Rajaniemi, Marja I. Roslund, Mika Saarenpää, Aki Sinkkonen, Laura Soininen, Yan Sun, Raisa Valve, Heli K. Vari.

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 7, 1-19

Abstract: According to the hygiene and biodiversity hypotheses, increased hygiene levels and reduced contact with biodiversity can partially explain the high prevalence of immune-mediated diseases in developed countries. A disturbed commensal microbiota, especially in the gut, has been linked to multiple immune-mediated diseases. Previous studies imply that gut microbiota composition is associated with the everyday living environment and can be modified by increasing direct physical exposure to biodiverse materials. In this pilot study, the effects of rural-second-home tourism were investigated on the gut microbiota for the first time. Rural-second-home tourism, a popular form of outdoor recreation in Northern Europe, North America, and Russia, has the potential to alter the human microbiota by increasing exposure to nature and environmental microbes. The hypotheses were that the use of rural second homes is associated with differences in the gut microbiota and that the microbiota related to health benefits are more diverse or common among the rural-second-home users. Based on 16S rRNA Illumina MiSeq sequencing of stool samples from 10 urban elderly having access and 15 lacking access to a rural second home, the first hypothesis was supported: the use of rural second homes was found to be associated with lower gut microbiota diversity and RIG-I-like receptor signaling pathway levels. The second hypothesis was not supported: health-related microbiota were not more diverse or common among the second-home users. The current study encourages further research on the possible health outcomes or causes of the observed microbiological differences. Activities and diet during second-home visits, standard of equipment, surrounding environment, and length of the visits are all postulated to play a role in determining the effects of rural-second-home tourism on the gut microbiota.

Keywords: second home; cottage; outdoor recreation; gut microbiota; fecal microbiota; stool sample; elderly; immune-mediated diseases; rural areas (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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