Impact of space flight on bacterial virulence and antibiotic susceptibility

Abstract

Manned space flight induces a reduction in immune competence among crew and is likely to cause deleterious changes to the composition of the gastrointestinal, nasal, and respiratory bacterial flora, leading to an increased risk of infection. The space flight environment may also affect the susceptibility of microorganisms within the spacecraft to antibiotics, key components of flown medical kits, and may modify the virulence characteristics of bacteria and other microorganisms that contaminate the fabric of the International Space Station and other flight platforms. This review will consider the impact of true and simulated microgravity and other characteristics of the space flight environment on bacterial cell behavior in relation to the potential for serious infections that may appear during missions to astronomical objects beyond low Earth orbit.

Increased growth rate and amikacin resistance of Salmonella enteritidis after one‐month spaceflight on China’s Shenzhou‐11 spacecraft

“…For instance, some microbial isolates were collected from astronauts and filter debris during orbital spaceflights on the International Space Station (ISS) (Checinska et al, 2015;Venkateswaran et al, 2014). It has been reported that the space environment can alter the microbial growth rate, virulence, and antibiotic susceptibility (Kim et al, 2013;Klaus & Howard, 2006;Mora et al, 2016;Rosenzweig, Ahmed, Eunson, & Chopra, 2014;Taylor, 2015;Urbaniak et al, 2018;Wilson et al, 2007). In addition, many studies have shown that the extreme environment of space plays an important role in dysregulation of the human immune system (Crucian et al, 2018;Kaur, Simons, Castro, Ott, & Pierson, 2005;Taylor, 2015).…”

“…It has been reported that the space environment can alter the microbial growth rate, virulence, and antibiotic susceptibility (Kim et al, 2013;Klaus & Howard, 2006;Mora et al, 2016;Rosenzweig, Ahmed, Eunson, & Chopra, 2014;Taylor, 2015;Urbaniak et al, 2018;Wilson et al, 2007). In addition, many studies have shown that the extreme environment of space plays an important role in dysregulation of the human immune system (Crucian et al, 2018;Kaur, Simons, Castro, Ott, & Pierson, 2005;Taylor, 2015). Animal experiments also indicated that splenic lymphocyte, monocyte/macrophage, and granulocyte counts were significantly reduced in mice during spaceflight compared with ground control mice (Baqai et al, 2009).…”

Nanosatellites for Biology in Space: In Situ Measurement of Bacillus subtilis Spore Germination and Growth after 6 Months in Low Earth Orbit on the O/OREOS Mission

“…Several spaceflight experiments have assessed the effects of microgravity on the growth of a variety of bacteria in liquid culture, but no consistent picture has emerged. Depending on the species, strain, hardware, and growth conditions, reports range from spaceflight promoting increased, decreased, or no growth differences between FL and GC samples (reviewed in [4,6,[25][26][27]). Due to hardware limitations, most spaceflight experiments only measure the final number of cells in cultures after samples have been returned to Earth.…”

“…Changes in these fundamental physical parameters are thought to alter the rates at which gases, nutrients, signaling molecules, and waste products are exchanged between microbes and their surroundings. Numerous studies have sought to understand how microbes sense and respond to the spaceflight environment (reviewed in [4][5][6][7][8]), but to date no coherent model has been forthcoming.…”

Guanylyl Cyclase-cGMP Signaling Pathway in Melanocytes: Differential Effects of Altered Gravity in Non-Metastatic and Metastatic Cells

“…The space flight environment (microgravity, cosmic radiation) has many stress factors that may induce different effects on human physiology and health, including reduction in the immune competence in astronauts, leading to an increase in the risk of infection, altered antibiotic susceptibility [74][75][76], as well as a possible development of premalignant/malignant disorders, especially during long-term space flights [77]. In cells grown in space, various changes have been observed, including cytoskeleton rearrangements, altered gene expression, and changes in cell signaling [78,79].…”