Table 1 Locations in the BE where “Common BE genera” were identified. The locations where “Common BE genera” were identified are listed for the 28 genera. This list is based on the 54 publications used for this study (see Additional file 1: Table S2)

Acinetobacter

Clinical (e.g., hospitals), Residential (e.g., bathroom), Extreme (e.g., spacecraft, cleanroom. ISS), Subway (e.g., underground touchscreens). Public recreation (e.g., gym), Hotel bathroom, Office workspace, University (e.g., classroom)

[18, 30, 32, 36, 133,134,135,136,137,138,139,140,141,142,143,144]

Arthrobacter

Extreme (e.g, cleanroom, ISS), Residential dust, Subway air

[21, 22, 141, 145,146,147,148,149]

Bacillus

Clinical (e.g., hospitals), Residential (e.g., bathroom), Extreme (e.g., spacecraft, cleanroom, ISS), Subway, Public recreation (e.g., gym), Hotel bathroom, Office workspace

[18, 21, 22, 133, 135, 136, 138, 139, 141,142,143, 147, 148, 150,151,152,153,154,155,156]

Bradyrhizobium

Extreme (e.g., spacecraft, cleanroom, ISS), Residential (e.g., wall surfaces), Clinical (e.g., hospital bathroom), Office workspace, Hotel bathroom

[135, 136, 139, 141, 150, 156,157,158,159]

Brevundimonas

Clinical (e.g., hospital), Extreme (e.g., spacecraft, cleanroom, ISS), Subway, University classroom

[12, 18, 21, 22, 135, 141, 143, 157, 160]

Burkholderia

Extreme (e.g., spacecraft, cleanroom, ISS), Residential (e.g., bathroom), Clinical (e.g., hospital), Hotel, bathroom Public recreation (e.g., park, gym)

[112, 136, 137, 141, 146, 149, 155, 161]

Clostridium

Residential (e.g., kitchen), Extreme (e.g., cleanroom, ISS), Subway

[20, 21, 138, 141, 154, 156, 162]

Corynebacterium

Clinical (e.g., hospitals), Residential (e.g., dust), Extreme (e.g., spacecraft, cleanroom, ISS), Subway (e.g., ticketing machines, underground touchscreens), Office, workspace University (e.g., classroom, dormitory)

[10, 12, 20, 21, 32, 36, 133, 135, 138, 140,141,142,143,144,145, 150, 153,154,155,156, 158, 163,164,165,166]

Delftia

Extreme (e.g., spacecraft, cleanroom, ISS), Clinical (e.g., hospital)

[21, 135, 137, 139, 141, 146, 156, 157, 160, 163]

Enterobacter

Extreme (e.g., spacecraft, ISS), Subway (e.g., outdoor and underground surfaces), University (e.g., classroom,)

[18, 135, 137, 156, 164, 167]

Enterococcus

Extreme (e.g., cleanroom, ISS), Clinical (e.g., hospital), Subway (e.g., outdoor and underground surfaces), Public recreation (e.g., park)

[18, 30, 137, 139, 142, 153, 161]

Escherichia

Clinical (e.g., hospitals), Residential (e.g., kitchen, bathroom), Extreme (e.g., ISS), Subway (e.g., passenger area), Public recreation (e.g., gym), Hotel bathroom

[136, 137, 153, 157, 160, 162, 168, 169]

Kocuria

Residential (e.g., indoor surface), Extreme (e.g., cleanroom, ISS), Subway (e.g., underground air), Clinical (e.g., hospitals)

[21, 22, 112, 138, 142,143,144, 147, 148, 167]

Lactobacillus

Clinical (e.g., nursing home), Residential (e.g., indoor air, surface dust), Extreme (e.g., cleanroom, ISS), Subway (e.g., touchscreens), Office workspace) University (e.g., classroom, dormitory, bathroom)

[10, 12, 13, 21, 30, 32, 36, 141, 144, 145, 150, 156, 165, 166]

Methylobacterium

Clinical (e.g., hospitals), Residential (e.g., bathroom), Extreme (e.g., spacecraft, cleanroom, ISS), Subway (e.g., touchscreens), Office (e.g., dust), University (e.g. door handle), Hotel bathroom

[13, 21, 22, 32, 36, 135, 136, 139, 141, 144, 146, 154, 157, 163, 167, 170]

Microbacterium

Extreme (e.g., spacecraft, cleanroom, ISS), Subway (e.g., underground air)

[21, 22, 135, 139, 147, 148]

Micrococcus

Clinical (e.g., hospitals), Residential (e.g., indoor air, surface), Extreme (e.g., spacecraft, cleanroom, ISS), Subway (e.g., underground air)

[20, 22, 32, 112, 133, 135, 138, 142,143,144, 147, 148, 153, 155, 167]

Mycobacterium

Clinical (e.g., hospitals), Residential (e.g., indoor air, surface), Extreme (e.g., cleanroom), Subway (e.g., outdoor air), Hotel (e.g., showerhead), Public recreation (e.g., gym)

[134, 136, 137, 141, 143, 144, 159, 163, 171,172,173]

Neisseria

Clinical (e.g., hospitals), Residential (e.g., dust), Extreme (e.g., ISS), Hotel (e.g., showerhead), Public recreation (e.g., gym), Office workspace

[136, 145, 150, 154, 156, 158]

Paenibacillus

Extreme (e.g., space station, ISS), Subway (e.g., underground air)

[21, 22, 135, 147, 148, 156]

Prevotella

Residential (e.g., wall surface, dust), Extreme (e.g., ISS), Office workspace, University (e.g., dormitory)

[21, 32, 145, 150, 158, 165]

Propionibacterium

Clinical (e.g., nursing home), Residential (e.g., kitchen, bathroom), Extreme (e.g., cleanroom, space station), Subway (e.g., indoor air), University (e.g., classroom, door handle)

[20, 21, 32, 36, 133, 143, 144, 151, 154, 156, 157, 164,165,166]

Pseudomonas

Clinical (e.g., hospitals), Residential (e.g., kitchen, bathroom), Extreme (e.g., cleanroom, space station, ISS), Subway (e.g., underground air), University (e.g., door handle), Hotel (e.g., showerhead), Public recreation (e.g., gym), Office (workspace)

[18, 21, 22, 30, 36, 112, 134,135,136,137, 141,142,143,144, 148,149,150,151, 153, 156, 163, 172, 174, 175]

Ralstonia

Clinical (e.g., hospitals), Residential (e.g., indoor air), Extreme (e.g., cleanroom, space station, ISS)

[135, 139, 141, 146, 149, 152, 157, 167]

Sphingomonas

Clinical (e.g., hospitals), Residential (e.g., bathroom), Extreme (e.g., cleanroom, space station, ISS), Subway (e.g., ticketing machines, underground touchscreens), University (e.g., classroom), Hotel (e.g., showerhead), Public recreation (e.g., gym, park, parking lot), Office (e.g., dust)

[13, 21, 22, 32, 36, 134,135,136,137,138, 140, 141, 144, 146, 149, 154, 156, 157, 159, 161, 163, 164, 170]

Staphylococcus

Clinical (e.g., hospitals), Residential (e.g., bathroom), Extreme (e.g., cleanroom, space station, ISS), Subway (e.g., air), University (e.g. classroom), Hotel (e.g., showerhead), Public recreation (e.g., gym), Office workspace

[12, 13, 20,21,22, 30, 32, 36, 112, 133, 135,136,137,138,139,140,141,142,143,144,145, 148, 151,152,153,154,155,156, 160, 163, 164, 166,167,168, 171, 173]

Stenotrophomonas

Clinical (e.g., hospitals), Extreme (e.g. cleanroom, space station, ISS), Subway (e.g. ticketing machines, underground touchscreens)

[18, 21, 22, 141, 149, 157, 160]

Streptococcus

Clinical (e.g., hospitals), Residential (e.g., bathroom, wall surface), Extreme (e.g., cleanroom, ISS), Subway (e.g., indoor air, touchscreens), University (e.g., classroom, door handle), Hotel (e.g., showerhead), Public recreation (e.g., gym), Office (e.g., dust, workspace)

[12, 13, 32, 36, 133, 136, 137, 139, 141, 142, 144, 145, 150, 151, 153, 154, 156, 158, 160, 164, 166, 171, 173]