Washington sources reported that a team of NASA researchers, including an Indian-origin scientist has found the surface inside the International Space Station (ISS) is littered with microbes just like in a gym or office on Earth threatening astronauts' health at the orbiting laboratory. Meanwhile the knowledge of the composition of the microbial and fungal communities on the ISS can be used to develop safety measures for NASA for long term space travel or living in space, said the researchers in a paper that appeared in the open access journal Microbiome.
Furthermore specific microbes in indoor spaces on Earth have been shown to impact human health. Dr Kasthuri Venkateswaran from the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and a corresponding author said "This is even more important for astronauts during spaceflight, as they have altered immunity and do not have access to the sophisticated medical interventions available on Earth". Reportedly the researchers used traditional culture techniques and gene sequencing methods to analyze surface samples collected in eight locations on the ISS, including the viewing window, toilet, exercise platform, dining table and sleeping quarters, during three flights across 14 months.
The study noted "On Earth, they are predominant in gyms, offices, and hospitals, which suggests that the ISS is similar to other built environments where the microbiome is shaped by human occupation". Dr. Venkateswaran said "The results can also have significant impact on our understanding of other confined built environments on the Earth such as clean rooms used in the pharmaceutical and medical industries”.
