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Scientists have predicted a 79% probability that microbes on ISS could cause disease.
NASA is concerned about strains of the bacterium Enterobacter, identified in the International Space Station (ISS) toilets, that could have potential health consequences for future missions, Indian scientists said in the space agency US.
Five strains of the bacterium 'Enterobacter & # 39; Isolated space lavatories and ISS exercise platform in March 2015 were studied as part of a study conducted by a team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the United States.
Sequencing of the genome of the samples revealed that the five strains belonged to a single species, Enterobacter bugandensis (E. bugandensis).
Although these were not pathogenic for humans, E. bugandensis was linked to a disease in neonates and a compromised patient, who were admitted to three different hospitals (in Africa). East, in the state of Washington and Colorado), the researchers said.
"Given the multiple drug resistance outcomes for these ISS E.bugandensis genomes and the increased risks of pathogenicity we have identified, these species could pose significant health problems for future missions," said the author. Senior Nitin Singh of NASA-JPL Caltech.
"However, it is important to understand that the 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." Nitin added.
For the study, published in the journal BMC Microbiology, the team compared the ISS strains to all publicly available genomes of 1,291 Enterobacter strains collected on Earth.
They found that the ISS isolates had similar antimicrobial resistance profiles to those of the three clinical strains found on Earth and that they included 112 genes involved in virulence, disease, and defense.
With the help of computer analyzes, they predicted a 79% probability that they could cause illness.
"Whether it is an opportunistic pathogen such as E. bugandensis or not a disease, depends on many factors, including environmental ones," said Kasthuri Venkateswaran, senior researcher at JPL.
"Other in vivo studies are needed to determine the impact that conditions on ISS, such as microgravity, other factors related to space and spacecraft, may have. on pathogenicity and virulence, "said Venkateswaran.
(This story has not been changed by NDTV staff and is generated automatically from a syndicated feed.)
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