*See the ISS spotted from NE Ohio in September in the video above
(STACKER) — It’s a startling find straight from the dark depths of sci-fi horror: NASA has discovered 13 strains of a superbug, a multidrug-resistant bacteria, aboard the International Space Station. His name? Enterobacter bugandensis.
Enterobacter Bugandensis
While this moniker might not roll off the tongue, the mistake is no joke. Having mutated in the extraordinary (and extremely isolated) environment of outer space, the microscopic oddity is genetically different enough from its Earth counterparts to develop drug resistance.
In other words, the existence of the mega bug and the incredible resilience of Earth medicine pose a serious risk to the astronauts’ health.
IIT Madras and NASA collaborated on the study, which details the distribution, distribution, colonization patterns and adaptations of the superbug E. bugandensis.
Straight out of a sci-fi or horror movie
Lurking aboard the space station like some kind of antagonist in a John Carpenter movie (or the robo-wasp Hunter Seeker in Dune: Part One ), the space microbe thrives in deeply embedded and largely unadulterated systems of continuous growth. The acquisition of iron, together with interactions with other organisms, stimulates the development of its particular resistance.
The scientists discovered that several remarkable genomic nuances and achievements of antimicrobial residence give the strains their superbug ability. In general, the adaptations the bug has mastered outside of our atmosphere differ greatly from those found in terrestrial strains.
Scary adaptations
On full display and of particular interest is the bacteria’s superior ability to withstand the inhospitable realities of space. This resilience arises from a complex web of interactions between the mega bug and other microorganisms, as the space station carries an abundance of other microbial passengers.
Not only does the space bug differ from the otherwise benign microbial growth dynamics aboard the station, it also reveals future health risks — especially to astronauts’ respiratory systems.
Some of the oldest known inhabitants of our planet, microorganisms (or microbes) such as superbugs are constantly adapting to survive the harshest conditions, including microgravity. In space, microbes like E. bugandensis have no choice but to undergo genomic changes – it’s either that or they die.
After performing these genomic transformations, the bugs emerge genetically unique, distinctly separate from any distant counterparts of our pale blue dot.
Astronaut immunity is a problem
In addition to the superbug, the space station hosts a wide array of important microbes, including bacterial and fungal species, ensuring survival through their extraordinary versatility. With microorganisms like the space station superbug reinventing themselves, so to speak, to resist, their subsequent development of antibiotic resistance is almost certain. Understandably, to mitigate these risks, NASA aims to continue ongoing studies and conduct new investigations, particularly targeting E. bugandensis.
Of particular concern is that astronauts suffer from weakened immune systems while on the space station; the discovered mega bug can especially 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.
Terrestrial health risks?
The presence of the hardy bacteria poses a legitimate risk to the health and safety of those aboard the space station, and it’s hard not to imagine the danger, however fantastic, of a disease carried by the superbug making its way to Earth.
The superbug research was conducted by Dr. Kasthuri Venkateswaran of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory; a joint team from JPL and IIT Madras also contributed to the effort.
