ArticleFrontiers in microbiology2023
Effects of wearing masks during COVID-19 pandemic on the composition and diversity of skin bacteria and fungi in medical workers.
Article in Frontiers in microbiology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Metagenomic profiling of airborne microbial communities from aircraft filters and face masks.Microbiome · 2025Article
- Polymorphic markers of several immune regulatory genes modulate the susceptibility for eczema and related phenotypes in children.Translational pediatrics · 2024Article
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
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Abstract
Background: Although studies have shown that wearing masks can affect the skin microbiome, more detailed and comprehensive research on wearing masks needs to be further explored. Objective: This study aimed to characterize the influence of mask wearing on the diversity and structural characteristics of the facial skin microbial community of medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic by means of metagenomic sequencing (mNGS). Methods: A total of 40 samples were taken by swabbing the cheek in the 2 × 2 cm Results: A statistically significant decrease was found in the α diversity between BN and AN groups and between B2 h and A2 h groups. BN and AN mean groups before and after 8 h of wearing the medical protective mask (N95), including 10 volunteers, respectively. B2 h and A2 h mean groups before and after 8 h of wearing masks, including 10 volunteers changing mask every 2 h, respectively. The β diversity was found to be statistically reduced between BS and AS groups ( Conclusion: Wearing different types of masks and changing masks according to different frequency will have different effects on the facial skin's microbiota.
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