Why do some people get rashes in space? There’s a clue in astronaut blood

A new study suggests that reduced activity of 100 immune-related genes may be causing rashes and infections in astronauts.

Key findings: Researchers found that the immune-related genes become less active in space, potentially allowing opportunistic infections to occur in astronauts.
* The blood of 14 American and Canadian astronauts was sampled before, after, and during their time on the International Space Station for the study.
* The decrease in gravitational force could be causing changes in astronauts’ blood and immune system response.

Implications: Understanding the cause of vulnerability to infections in space could lead to safer missions for astronauts and better treatments for immunocompromised individuals on Earth.
* Study findings may also have potential applications in situations like transplant patients or individuals experiencing extreme stress or physical environments.

Long-term impact: As space missions extend further and return times increase, developing countermeasures for space travel stresses on the immune system becomes crucial for astronaut health and safety.

View original article on NPR

This summary was created by an AI system. The use of this summary is subject to our Terms of Service.

Contact us about this post

Posted

in

by

Tags:

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *