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When human beings dream of settling outside of Earth, they inevitably do transport microorganisms. Mutant supermicrobial organisms that surround us today could become a threat by becoming more aggressive flat and insert risk human life in alien environments.
In research conducted in International Space Station (ISS), were detected changes in some bacteria that make them more resistant and virulent.
Institutions like NASA, Roscosmos y JAXA are involved in monitoring these microbial changes. they are looking for predict and mitigate its impactsespecially for bacteria that show resistance to antibiotics and an increase in virulence under these conditions.
Why are mutant superbugs a threat to the International Space Station?
According to the website El Pasoover the years, experiments conducted in ISS have shown that certain microbes not only survive, but thrive and grow stronger in space.
An important example was an experiment carried out by the company in 2006 Arizona State Universitywho sent the harvest Salmonella typhimurium aboard the space shuttle Atlantis.
This study revealed that microgravidad changed a key protein, HFQwhich enhanced bacterial virulence by activating other proteins. as a result and salmonella became more infectiouswhich posed a potential risk of serious infections.
Between factors what do they do with it super microbial more aggressive are:
- Microgravidadwhich alters the microbe’s interactions with the environment.
- cosmic radiationhigher than Earth’s, which affects the genetic stability of microorganisms.
- Extreme stress conditionswhich cause mutations that increase the resistance of bacteria.
These mutations not only increase the survival of microbes, but also increase their ability to generate biofilmsstructures that protect them from external agents and make antibiotic treatment difficult.
What are the most resistant bacteria that threaten the health of astronauts?
Since 2015, NASA through the project Microbial monitoringstudied the microbiome of the ISS and identified resistant bacteria that could pose a risk to astronauts.
In 2018 tribes Enterobacter bugandensis resistant to antibioticsa microbe originally identified in a Tanzanian hospital and known to cause severe infections in newborns.
A more recent study in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology in Madras found that the stressful environment of the ISS promoted appearance adapted bacterial variants into space.
Among the most worrying discoveries are bacteria such as Staphylococcus and mushrooms like Malasseziawhich are prevalent in human skin and can mutate in space, increasing the risk of infection.
What is being done to control superbugs in space?
Given these findings, experts are developing different countermeasures. The NASA and other space agencies such as Roscosmos y JAXAhave started projects to monitor and reduce the growth of microorganisms.
For example, Boeing is testing a antimicrobial coating What are you looking for? minimize microbial growth on surfaces and prevent possible infections.
Scientist Kasthuri Venkateshwaranfrom NASA, is leading a study focused on the analysis like some benign microorganisms they help on the ISS adapt Yessurvive human pathogens like him E. bugandensiswhile other projects seek to understand the genetic structure new species discovered at the station.
These advances, while not definitive, represent a an important step secure that future piloted missions to maintain a healthy environment.
