Survival of Environment-Derived Opportunistic Bacterial Pathogens to Martian Conditions: Is There a Concern for Human Missions to Mars?

Zaccaria, Tommaso; de Jonge, Marien I.; Domínguez-Andrés, Jorge; Netea, Mihai G.; Beblo-Vranesevic, Kristina; Rettberg, Petra

doi:10.1089/ast.2023.0057

Cited by 4 publications

References 71 publications

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Challenges for the human immune system after leaving Earth

Marchal,

Choukér,

Bereiter-Hahn

et al. 2024

npj Microgravity

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From the start of life on Earth, several immune defense mechanisms have evolved to guarantee cellular integrity, homeostasis, and host survival. All these sophisticated balances as shaped by and towards the environmental needs have occurred over hundreds of millions of years. Human spaceflight involves various health hazards, such as higher levels of radiation, altered gravity, isolation and confinement, living in tight quarters, and stress associated with being away from home. A growing body of evidence points towards immunological changes in astronauts, including heightened pro-inflammatory responses, reactivation of latent viruses, and cell-mediated alterations, reflecting a dysbalanced state in astronauts. Simultaneously, enhanced pathogenicity, virulence, and drug resistance properties of microorganisms tip the scale out of favor for prolonged stay in space. As we have learned from the past, we see potential for the human immune system, forged and maintained throughout evolutionary history, to adapt to the space exposome. It is unlikely that this will happen in the short time frames set for current space exploration missions. Instead, major risks to astronaut health need to be addressed first, before humans can safely evolve into the space environment.

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Challenges for the human immune system after leaving Earth

Marchal,

Choukér,

Bereiter-Hahn

et al. 2024

npj Microgravity

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The human microbiome in space: parallels between Earth-based dysbiosis, implications for long-duration spaceflight, and possible mitigation strategies

Etlin,

Rose,

Bielski

et al. 2024

Clin Microbiol Rev

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SUMMARY The human microbiota encompasses the diverse communities of microorganisms that reside in, on, and around various parts of the human body, such as the skin, nasal passages, and gastrointestinal tract. Although research is ongoing, it is well established that the microbiota exert a substantial influence on the body through the production and modification of metabolites and small molecules. Disruptions in the composition of the microbiota—dysbiosis—have also been linked to various negative health outcomes. As humans embark upon longer-duration space missions, it is important to understand how the conditions of space travel impact the microbiota and, consequently, astronaut health. This article will first characterize the main taxa of the human gut microbiota and their associated metabolites, before discussing potential dysbiosis and negative health consequences. It will also detail the microbial changes observed in astronauts during spaceflight, focusing on gut microbiota composition and pathogenic virulence and survival. Analysis will then turn to how astronaut health may be protected from adverse microbial changes via diet, exercise, and antibiotics before concluding with a discussion of the microbiota of spacecraft and microbial culturing methods in space. The implications of this review are critical, particularly with NASA’s ongoing implementation of the Moon to Mars Architecture, which will include weeks or months of living in space and new habitats.

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