Can We Contain Ebola Pathogen in Space? New NASA Micro-8 Study Looks Into the Possibilities

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Imagine yourself completely contained; isolated and breathing a limited amount of oxygen, all while some potentially infectious pathogens lie on-board with you. Well, while it might not be Pandora's box or a strain of the Ebola virus, this scenario is a frighteningly real study for researchers on the International Space Station.

There, in orbit around the Earth, astronauts have studied the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans with mixed results. The model organism studied in their recent research experiment Micro-6, Candida albicans is an opportunistic yeast that is fairly common and typically innocuous in the common host. But when the immune system is stressed, like it is during long-duration space travel, the bacteria can grow out of control and begin an infectious rampage on its host and the people around them.

In their preliminary studies, C. albicans grown in space travel conditions showed a particularly concerning set of characteristics: an altered structural form to their bodies and increased resistance to antibiotic Amphotericin B. These factors, which NASA researchers believe could increase the infectious nature of the pathogen, required further studying for conclusive results. And so, in collaboration with researchers at Montana State University in Bozeman who spearheaded the investigation, NASA has planned to launch yet another cellular growth experiment named Micro-8, to see if scientists can take control of infectious outbreaks in the next round of experiments.

"We already understand a great deal about this particular yeast" principal investigator of the Micro-6 and Micro-8 missions, Sheila Nielsen, Ph.D. says. "Previous studies have given us a broad set of benchmarks, including the sequence of the entire genome, which makes Candida albicans a great subject for study in microgravity because we have extensive information to compare it to."

While the study, which is expected to launch Sept. 20, 2014 delivered by the commercial cargo resupply flight of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, may not directly investigate the containment of the Ebola virus or the issues currently facing the viral pandemic in western Africa, the research being conducted in the closed space of the International Space Station may elucidate causes for the transformation of many infectious pathogens and how containment policies should best address the agents' forms of transmission. As human health and infectious pandemics increasingly reveal themselves as global issues, it only seems fitting that the research conducted on the International Space Station may one day save lives worldwide in the event of other pandemics.

"We have already demonstrated that microgravity affects cell shape and behavior. A more complete understanding of the yeast adaptation response to extreme environments, such as microgravity, and the risks associated with potential infection is vital for long-term crew health and safety" Nielson says. "With that knowledge, we can develop treatments to keep our astronauts and our Earth population healthier."