Scientists have discovered antibiotic-resistant bacteria in space

According to a new study, drug-resistant bacteria – germs with adequate immunity to antibiotic treatment – have found their way to the International Space Station.

Led by Nitin Singh, a microbiologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the study, published BMC Microbiology, examined five strains of Enterobacter bacteria from samples taken in 2015 in the toilets and exercise equipment aboard the ISS.

Enterobacter is a common bacterial family and largely harmless, but drug-resistant strains of the body have been reported in hospitals. A 2015 outbreak in a Tanzanian neonatal unit, for example, caused blood infections in newborns.

Singh and his colleagues wanted to understand the virulence of Enterobacter strains on the ISS compared to the antimicrobial resistant pathogens of the Earth. To do this, the team mapped the genomes of the strains of space and compared them to some 1,300 known genomes of Enterobacter.

Their analysis revealed that the five strains were genetically similar to Enterobacter bugandensis, the same drug-resistant species responsible for the Tanzania epidemic.

The conclusion corroborates a Nature January paper that suggested E. bugandensis may be present on the space station. Singh's team expanded beyond this research by evaluating the genetic virulence of strains and their potential infectivity to astronauts.

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The result is that these space insects do not pose an immediate threat to ISS crews as they are genetically distinct from the most infectious forms of the virus. E. bugandensis. However, there is sufficient overlap between ISS germs and their pathogenic terrestrial cousins ​​to warrant special attention to the microbiome.

"These species could pose significant health problems for future missions," Singh said in a statement. "However, it is important to understand that strains found on the ISS were not virulent, which means that they do not pose an active threat to human health, but need to be monitored. "

As bacterial strains can adapt quickly to new habitats, the relatively benign insects present today on the ISS may not be harmless forever. It is difficult to keep pace with drug-resistant bacteria, which adapt quickly to new conditions and new habitats. The CDC therefore suggests focusing on preventive measures, such as isolation of infected patients and attention to antibiotics.

Of course, such guidelines are much more difficult to impose on patients living 220 kilometers from the Earth. This is why ISS researchers will need to closely monitor the bacterial community at the station.

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