Microbes found to be more lethal in space....

This article explains experiments conducted by scientists at Arizona State University have found that everyday bacteria and germs that cause food poisoning or other illnesses can become lethal in space. This has important implications for astronauts taking trips to the moon, or in the future, voyages to Mars. Spending extended periods of time in space has been proven to weaken the immune system and the presence of bacteria and germs is a concern. To conduct basic experiments on the effects of space on bacteria, samples of Salmonella typhimurium were taken to outer space on the NASA mission STS-115. S. typhimurium presents a threat to astronauts because it causes food poisoning and often resists antibiotic treatment. It was found that the conditions in space triggered a ‘master switch’ within the ‘Hfg’ genetic switch of the bacteria which controls 160 or more genes. This gene cascade triggers physiological responses that cased S. typhimurium to be three times more virulent in space than on earth. The increased lethality can be traced to the formation of a biofilm which renders the response of the immune system and antibiotics much less effective.