Drug-resistant bacteria that do not exist on Earth discovered on the International Space Station: Donga Science

It was analyzed that the bacteria discovered on the International Space Station (ISS) were mutant bacteria that do not exist on Earth. There is talk that bacteria related to sepsis could pose a risk to astronauts.

According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on the 23rd, a joint research team including NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Indian Institute of Technology found that the bacteria detected on the ISS is a strain of Enterobacter bugandensis that can cause disease in astronauts staying on the ISS. The paper was published on the 16th (local time) on PubMed, a site for publishing biotechnology and medical papers.

The presence of mold and bacteria on the ISS was first discovered in 2019. The research team analyzed that 13 of these bacteria were Enterobacter bugadensis, which can cause sepsis, urinary tract infections, and endocarditis.

The research team looked at how the genome and function of this bacterium changed in the extreme environment of space. Research results have shown that bacteria have mutated and become genetically different from bacteria on Earth.

The research team said, “The genome of ISS bacteria has an average of 4,568 genes, which is more than the average number of genes found in the genome of Earth bacteria, which is 4,416.” The problem is that these bacteria mutated and acquired genes that can cause resistance to various drugs.

The research team mentioned the possibility that these genetic changes occurred due to extreme environments such as microgravity, solar radiation, and high carbon dioxide concentrations. The analysis showed that the bacteria were able to survive due to internal factors of the ISS such as ventilation, humidity, and atmospheric pressure. The results of this study are expected to provide clues for preparing preventive measures to protect the health of astronauts.