The risk of Staphylococcus skin infection during space travel and mitigation strategies

• Published in: Microbial risk analysis 2019-04, Vol.11, p.23-30
• Main Authors: Xiao, Shuhao, Venkateswaran, Kasthuri J., Jiang, Sunny C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cleaning regimen; ISS microbial observatory; Microbial transfer rate; QMRA; Skin infection; Staphylococcus aureus
• ISSN: 2352-3522; 2352-3530
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mran.2018.08.001

•Staphylococcus and S. aureus are important bacterial contaminants on the space station.•Skin infection risks from S. aureus among astronauts are likely during space travel.•Skin cleaning is an important strategy to reduce S. aureus infection risks.•Understanding of microbial virulence in space can improve risk prediction. Among numerous challenges facing space travellers, microbial infection is one of the unknown risks associated with human spaceflight. Prevention and control of microbial infections are of critical concern during space missions. The objective of this research is to develop a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) to model the risk of Staphylococcus aureus skin infection and mitigation strategies that may effectively reduce skin infection risks. QMRA was carried out by incorporating the level of S. aureus contamination from International Space Station Microbial Observatory Experiment, bacterial transfer rate to skin, growth pattern of S. aureus on skin, space travellers’ daily behaviour and dose-response model. The results demonstrate that a daily skin cleaning regimen has a significant effect on reducing the skin infection risks. Once a day skin cleaning reduces infection risk by 84.2% and twice a day skin cleaning can reduce the risk of skin infection by 96.1% during a seven-day space mission. Frequency of contact with contaminated surfaces and time elapsed between cleaning events are the most important input parameters that contribute to the overall risk outcome. There are degrees of uncertainties associated with the predicted outcomes when interpreted by itself due to the limitation of microbial data and the dose-response model that derived from a short-term clinical study on Earth. The comparative risk analysis as used in this study offers a scientific basis regarding the effectiveness of interventions (skin cleaning regimens) in mitigating skin infection risks during spaceflight. [Display omitted]