Astronauts are living with a drug-busting ‘superbug’ that mutated in orbit, study says

A NEW alien ‘superbug’ has been discovered aboard the International Space Station.

Despite the highly controlled environment on the ISS, an insect hitched a ride into space, where scientists were able to observe the mutating pathogen over the course of two years.

Scientists now claim that the newly discovered multi-drug resistant superbug ‘ISS Enterobacter bugandenis’ is completely different from its terrestrial counterpart.

The bug, known to infect the respiratory system, could pose a risk to the crew on board.

This is evident from a study published in the scientific journal ‘Microbiome’. Scientists believe the species evolved to become more powerful in the closed environment of the ISS.

Over time, scientists isolated 13 parts of the bug, after which they conducted an extensive study.

According to the report, scientists said the finding merited the need for “more robust preventive measures.”

The report said: “The special nature of the stresses in the space environment, different from those on Earth, could be the driving these genomic modifications…

“The implications of these findings are twofold: first, they shed light on microbial behavior, adaptation, and evolution in extreme, isolated environments.

‘Secondly, they underline the need for robust preventive measures that guarantee safety health and the safety of astronauts by mitigating the risks associated with potential pathogenic threats.”

Senior research scientist at NASA’s jet propulsion laboratory Dr. Kasthuri Venkateswaran said the research would help discover how certain benign microorganisms adapt and survive in “adverse conditions”.

He said: “The knowledge gained from this study would shed light on microbial behavior, adaptation and evolution in extreme, isolated environments allowing the design of new countermeasures to eradicate opportunistic pathogens.”

While the germs and bacteria make their way into space, they don’t come down.

NASA and other space agencies are doing everything they can to ensure that no terrestrial life forms travel along.

A NASA statement said: “Closed, human-built environments, such as the ISS, are unique areas that provide an extreme environment subject to microgravity, radiation and elevated carbon dioxide levels.

“Any microorganisms introduced into these areas must adapt in order to thrive.

“By delving into microbial dynamics in extreme environments, this research opens doors to effective preventative measures for astronaut health.”

Last year it was reported that astronauts on the ISS may have inhaled nanoplastic particles.

Research has shown that the air on the International Space Station (ISS) was dirtier than the floor of an average house in Britain.

As the air is continuously recirculated and CO2 is removed, the structure becomes old and scientists are unsure how well the filtration system can remove certain chemicals.

The ISS has been in Earth’s orbit for 24 years and hundreds of astronauts have traveled through the space center during that time, taking with them a large number of personal items for their sometimes months-long stay.

The so-called “space dust” included polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), “new” brominated flame retardants (BFRs), organophosphate esters (OPEs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).