Adverse Health Effects

NASA

Risk of Adverse Health Effects Due to Host-Microorganism Interactions

Exposure to the spaceflight environment evidence indicates alterations in microbial virulence and astronaut immune function. While preventive measures limit the presence of many medically significant microorganisms during spaceflight missions, microbial infection of astronauts cannot be completely prevented and does occur, despite stringent vehicle cleaning and monitoring, as well as a quarantine of astronauts prior to flight. Infectious disease events occur…