Bringing work home: the microbiota of children of healthcare workers

Impact Children of healthcare workers have a lower nasal microbiota diversity in early life compared with children of non-healthcare workers, with more pronounced differences when both parents work in healthcare. This study links parental healthcare occupation with differences in nasal microbiota of children, identifying occupational household exposure as a factor potentially influencing microbial colonization. The study highlights parental occupation as an underrecognized environmental determinant of early-life microbiota, providing bases for future research on occupational exposures and child respiratory and immune health.