*See the ISS spotted from northeast Ohio in September in the video above
(STACKER) — It’s a startling discovery straight out of the dark depths of science fiction: Aboard the International Space Station, NASA has discovered 13 strains of a superbug, a multidrug-resistant bacterium. Its name? Enterobacter bugandensis.
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Enterobacter Bugandensis
While the nickname may not come to mind, this microbe is no joke. Having mutated in the extraordinary (and extraordinarily isolated) environment of space, this strange microscopic creature is genetically distinct enough from its Earthly counterparts to develop drug resistance.
In other words, the existence of the mega-virus and its incredible resistance to terrestrial medicine represent a serious risk to the health of astronauts.
IIT Madras and NASA collaborated on the study, which detailed the prevalence, distribution, colonization patterns and adaptations of the superbug E. bugandensis.
Straight out of a science fiction or horror movie
Lurking aboard the space station like an antagonist in a John Carpenter movie (or the wasp-robot Hunter Seeker in Dune: Part 1), the space microbe thrived in deeply embedded, largely intact systems for uninterrupted growth. The acquisition of iron, as well as interactions with other organisms, spurred the development of its particular resilience.
Scientists have discovered that several remarkable genomic nuances and antimicrobial residency feats give the strains their superbug capabilities. Overall, the adaptations the bacteria have acquired outside our atmosphere diverge wildly from those found in terrestrial strains.
Intimidating adaptations
The bacteria has an exceptional ability to withstand the harsh conditions of space. This resistance is the result of a complex network of interactions between the megabacteria and other microorganisms, as the space station carries a multitude of other clandestine microbes.
Not only does the space virus deviate from the otherwise benign growth dynamics of microbes aboard the station, it also highlights potential health risks, particularly to astronauts’ respiratory systems.
Some of our planet’s oldest known inhabitants, microorganisms (or microbes) like the superbug, are constantly adapting to survive the harshest conditions, including microgravity. In space, microbes like E. bugandensis have no choice but to undergo genomic modifications: it’s that or die.
Once these genomic transformations are accomplished, microbes emerge genetically unique, categorically separate from all their distant counterparts on our pale blue dot.
Astronauts’ immunity is a concern
In addition to the superbug, the space station is home to a wide range of important microbes, including bacterial and fungal phyla, which provide survivability through their extreme flexibility. Since microorganisms like the space station superbug are essentially reinventing themselves to persevere, it is almost certain that they will eventually develop resistance to antibiotics. Understandably, to mitigate these risks, NASA wants to continue ongoing studies and conduct new research, particularly on E. bugandensis.
Of particular concern is that astronauts suffer from weakened immune systems while on board the space station. The virus discovered could particularly attack astronauts in this state, potentially making them sick in a less than ideal environment. Obviously, the limited access to medical facilities in space adds to the difficulty.
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Health risks related to Earth?
The presence of this resistant bacteria poses a legitimate risk to the health and safety of those aboard the space station, and it is hard not to imagine the danger, however fanciful, of a disease transmitted by this superbug spreading to Earth.
The superbug research was led by Dr Kasthuri Venkateswaran of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory; a joint team from JPL and IIT Madras also contributed to the effort.
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