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A Survey of Staphylococcus sp and its Methicillin Resistance aboard the International Space StationBackground: Within the past few years, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has emerged in environments with susceptible hosts in close proximity, such as hospitals and nursing homes. As the International Space Station (ISS) represents a semi-closed environment with a high level of crewmember interaction, an evaluation of isolates of clinical and environmental Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase negative Staphylococcus was performed to determine if this trend was also present in astronauts occupying ISS or on surfaces of the space station itself. Methods: Identification of isolates was completed using VITEK (GPI cards, BioMerieux), 16S ribosomal DNA analysis (MicroSeq 500, ABI), and Rep-PCR DNA fingerprinting (Divemilab, Bacterial Barcodes). Susceptibility tests were performed using VITEK (GPS-105 cards, BioMerieux) and resistance characteristics were evaluated by testing for the presence of the mecA gene (PBP2' MRSA test kit, Oxoid). Results: Rep-PCR analysis indicated the transfer of S. aureus between crewmembers and between crewmembers and ISS surfaces. While a variety of S. aureus were identified from both the crewmembers and environment, evaluations of the microbial population indicated minimal methicillin resistance. Results of this study indicated that within the semi-closed ISS environment, transfer of bacteria between crewmembers and their environment has been occurring, although there was no indication of a high concentration of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus species. Conclusions: While this study suggests that the spread of methicillin resistant S. aureus is not currently a concern aboard ISS, the increasing incidence of Earth-based antibiotic resistance indicates a need for continued clinical and environmental monitoring.
Document ID
20050217259
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Bassinger, V. J.
(Wyle Labs., Inc. Houston, TX, United States)
Fontenot, S. L.
(Wyle Labs., Inc. Houston, TX, United States)
Castro, V. A.
(Wyle Labs., Inc. Houston, TX, United States)
Ott, C.
(Wyle Labs., Inc. Houston, TX, United States)
Healy, M.
(Bacterial BarCodes, Inc. Houston, TX, United States)
Pierson, D. L.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2004
Subject Category
Aerospace Medicine
Meeting Information
Meeting: Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
Location: Washington, DC
Country: United States
Start Date: October 29, 2004
End Date: November 2, 2004
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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