Epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus during space flight |
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Authors: | Duane L Pierson Monjula Chidambaram Joe Don Heath Laura Mallary Saroj K Mishra Baldev Sharma George M Weinstock |
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Institution: | Biomedical Operations and Research Branch, NASA-Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA;Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical School, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, USA;KRUG Life Sciences, NASA-Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA |
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Abstract: | Abstract Staphylococcus aureus was isolated over 2 years from Space Shuttle mission crewmembers to determine dissemination and retention of bacteria. Samples before and after each mission were from nasal, throat, urine, and feces and from air and surface sampling of the Space Shuttle. DNA fingerprinting of samples by digestion of DNA with Sma I restriction endonuclease followed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed S. aureus from each crewmember had a unique fingerprint and usually only one strain was carried by an individual. There was only one instance of transfer between crewmembers. Strains from interior surfaces after flight matched those of crewmembers, suggesting microbial fingerprinting may have forensic application. |
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Keywords: | Staphylococcus aureus DNA fingerprinting Space flight Epidemiology Commensal bacterium |
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