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Just like on Earth, there is a robust population of bacteria and fungi on the International Space Station (ISS), according to a study that cataloged its exact makeup. The study published in the Microbiome Journal found that samples from a space station air filter and vacuum dust bag contained opportunistic bacterial pathogens that are mostly harmless on Earth, but can cause infections that cause inflammation or irritation of the skin. The researchers found that bacteria associated with human skin, Corynebacterium and Propionibacterium (Actinobacteria), but not Staphylococcus, were more abundant on the station than in terrestrial clean rooms.
‘Complete catalog’ of fungi, bacteria
NASA scientists noted that similar bacteria are found in mundane terrestrial environments such as officers, anthems, and hospitals, so the space station is similar to those other “built environments” frequented by humans. Research was needed to understand the nature of the communities of microbes, the microbiome, in the space station to manage astronaut health and equipment maintenance. To avoid any epidemic of deadly infections, however, astronauts are reducing the possibility of going through quarantine periods before their mission.
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Kasthuri Venkateswaran, principal investigator at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and co-author of the article, said: “Specific microbes in interior spaces on Earth have been shown to impact human health. This is even more important for astronauts during space flights, as they have impaired immunity and do not have access to the sophisticated medical interventions available on Earth ”.
“In light of possible future long-duration missions, it is important to identify the types of microorganisms that can accumulate in the unique and closed environments associated with spaceflight, their survival times and their impact on the environment. human health and spacecraft infrastructure, ”added Venkateswaran. .
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Additionally, the research indicated that the study is the first “complete catalog” of fungi and bacteria found on surfaces in a closed space system, such as the ISS. Research has also indicated that this could lead to the development of safety measures for astronauts during spaceflight, although at this time, the rest of spaceflight is unclear. It should be noted that the astronauts had collected the samples over three flights spanning 14 months, a time frame that allowed researchers to see how microbial and fungal populations have changed across locations and over the course of time. time.
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