Project 02: Molecular characterization of the airborne bacterial community and assessment of the correlation with respiratory disease incidence in Kandy city, Sri Lanka

This study aims to provide the first long-term evidence from Sri Lanka linking changes in the airborne microbial community, climate variability and respiratory health (i.e. the incidence of respiratory diseases in Kandy city), thereby contributing valuable insights for air quality management and public health policy. Air samples collected weekly will be analyzed to characterize the microbes and any antibiotic-resistant genes present using culture-based microbiological methods and molecular techniques including metagenomics and quantitative PCR. The study will simultaneously collect clinical data from patients presenting with respiratory illnesses at selected hospitals in the area. This research will provide crucial molecular-level evidence for understanding how climate-driven changes in airborne microbial communities may contribute to respiratory disease burden in tropical hill country settings.