2023-06-22 15:47:31
The immune system of astronauts in space would be weakened, which would explain their susceptibility to infectious diseases, but this phenomenon would disappear as soon as they returned to Earth.
This was revealed by a study conducted by the University and the Ottawa Hospital and funded by the Canadian Space Agency.
It has indeed been proven that people on board the International Space Station (ISS) often suffer from itchy skin as well as respiratory and non-respiratory disorders. They also spread viral particles including the Epstein-Barr virus, the virus responsible for shingles, the herpes virus, as well as the cytomegalovirus.
However, the genes return to their usual state within a few weeks to a year following the astronauts return, suggesting that “Earth gravity plays a crucial role in the optimal functioning of the immune system of the astronauts”, can we read in the press release. released Thursday. These results suggest that astronauts are at increased risk of infection for at least a month following landing.
“Weakened immunity increases the risk of infectious diseases, which limits the ability of astronauts to complete their demanding missions in space. If an infection or immune disorder were to worsen to the point of requiring medical attention, access to care or medication, or the possibility of evacuation would be limited,” said Dr. Guy Trudel, physician and rehabilitation researcher at The Ottawa Hospital, and professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Ottawa.
However, the research team might not determine how long it took for the immune system to recover to full strength.
It is the “fluid transfer” which would be responsible for this phenomenon, ie the redistribution of blood plasma from the bottom to the top of the body, including the lymphatic system. This phenomenon leads to a reduction of 10 to 15% of plasma volume in the first days of stay in space.
The research team studied gene expression in the leukocytes (white blood cells) of a cohort of 14 astronauts, including three women and 11 men, who stayed in the ISS for 4.5 to 6 months, 5 months between 2015 and 2019.
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