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 composition. The study published in the Microbiome Journal found that samples from an air filter and a vacuum dust bag at the space station contained opportunistic bacterial pathogens, which are largely safe on Earth but can lead to infections that lead to inflammation or irritation of the skin. The researchers found that the bacteria associated with human skin Corynebacterium and Propionibacterium (Actinobacteria), but not Staphylococcus, were more abundant in the station than in clean rooms on Earth.
“Comprehensive catalog” of fungi, bacteria
NASA scientists have observed that similar bacteria are found in terrestrial environments, such as the officer, anthems, and hospitals, so the space station is similar to these other “built environments” frequented by humans. The research was necessary to understand the nature of the microbial communities, the microbiome, in the space station to manage the health of astronauts and the maintenance of equipment. However, to prevent any outbreak of deadly infections, astronauts reduce the possibility 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 paper, said: “Specific microbes in Earth’s interior have been shown to have an impact on human health. This is even more important for astronauts during spaceflight, because they have altered immunity and do not have access to the sophisticated medical interventions available on Earth.
“Given the possible long-term future missions, it is important to identify the types of microorganisms that can accumulate in the unique and closed environments associated with spaceflight, as long as they survive and their impact on human health and spacecraft infrastructure,” Venkateswaran added. .
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Moreover, the research said that the study is the first “comprehensive catalog” of fungi and bacteria found on surfaces in a closed space system, such as the ISS. The research also said that this could eventually lead to the development of safety measures for astronauts during spaceflight, although at this time the rest is not clear to space flyers. It is noteworthy that the astronauts collected the samples over three 14-month flights, a period of time that allowed the researchers to see how the microbial and fungal populations changed according to locations and over time.
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