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Consequences of contamination of the spacecraft environment: immunologic consequencesLong-term space voyages pose numerous known and unknown health hazards, to the human immune system. Well-studied clinical examples of secondary immunodeficiencies created on Earth, lead one to predict that the conditions of prolonged space flight would weaken the human immune responses that normally hold infection and cancer in check. From evidence gathered from humans flown for prolonged periods in space and from human models of space flight studied on Earth it is reasonable to suspect that space travelers to the planet Mars would experience a weakening of immunity. Subtle defects of immune cell structure and function have been observed in astronauts, such as weakening of specific T-lymphocyte recall of specific antigens. Ground-based models also have demonstrated alterations of immune function, such as the elevation of neuroendocrine immune system messengers, interleukin-6, and soluble tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptor in sleep deprivation. Since severe immune compromise the clinical consequences of reactivation of latent virus infections and the development of cancer, has yet to be seen in space flight or in the Earth models, it is extremely important to begin to quantify early changes in immunity to predict the development of immune system collapse with poor clinical outcomes. This approach is designed to validate a number of surrogate markers that will predict trouble ahead. Inherent in this research is the development of countermeasures to reduce the risks of infection and cancer in the first humans going to Mars.
Document ID
20040088435
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Shearer, W. T.
(Texas Children's Hospital Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 2001
Publication Information
Publication: Gravitational and space biology bulletin : publication of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology
Volume: 14
Issue: 2
ISSN: 1089-988X
Subject Category
Aerospace Medicine
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NCC9-
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Non-NASA Center
Review, Tutorial
Review
NASA Discipline Regulatory Physiology

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