The Potential Hazard of Staphylococci and Micrococci to Human Subjects in a Life Support Systems Evaluator and on a Diet of Liquid Foods

Abstract

Two groups of 4 human male subjects participated in 6-week simulated aerospace studies. The subjects were confined and kept under controlled metabolic conditions; during this time, 28 consecutive days were spent in the Life Support Systems Evaluator. The subjects ate diets composed either of fresh food or liquid food. The subjects were exposed to simulated aerospace stress of confinement, wearing an unpressurized space suit, experimental diet, and minimal personal hygienic conditions. Body and environmental areas were sampled and the catalase-positive gram-positive cocci isolated were tested for production of coagulase, deoxyribonuclease, hemolysin, gelatinase, and utilization of mannitol. The results show that there were no significant differences in the frequency of occurrence of biochemical types among subjects and among environmental areas during the chamber period. There were significant differences in frequency of occurrence of biochemical types on ear, nose, throat, mouth, axilla, groin, and glans penis. There was no buildup of biochemical types with time in any test condition. Two phage types, UC-18 and 79, were recovered. Phage type UC-18 was transferred from subject to environment but not vice versa or among other subjects. Phage type 79 was not transferred at all. In the concurrent metabolic studies the physiological, biochemical, and nutritional parameters investigated were all in the normal range of clinical values. Confinement under simulated aerospace conditions for at least 28 days and conditions of minimal personal hygiene show that no unique set of circumstances are operable that would require the establishment of special biomedical criteria.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1967
Accession Number
AD0663416

Entities

People

  • Bonnie S. Horstman
  • Joseph V. Rack
  • Leonard P. Lotter

Organizations

  • Miami Valley Hospital

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abdomen
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Analysis Of Variance
  • Bacteria
  • Biomedical Research
  • Culture Media
  • Data Science
  • Experimental Design
  • Health Services
  • Hygiene
  • Life Support Systems
  • Medical Personnel
  • Public Health
  • Staphylococcal Infections
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Statistical Tests

Readers

  • Gender and Food Studies
  • Materials Science
  • Microbial Pathology

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Space