THE POTENTIAL HAZARD OF STAPHYLOCOCCI AND MICROCOCCI TO HUMAN SUBJECTS IN A LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS EVALUATOR AND ON A DIET OF PRECOOKED FREEZE DEHYDRATED FOODS.
Abstract
Two groups of four human male subjects participated in 6-week simulated aerospace studies. The subjects were confined under controlled metabolic conditions; during this time, 28 consecutive days were spent in a Life Support Systems Evaluator. The subjects ate diets composed of either fresh foods or precooked freeze dehydrated foods. The subjects were exposed to simulated aerospace stress of confinement wearing an unpressurized MA-10 pressure 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 showed no significant differences in the frequency of occurrence of biochemical types in microbiological specimens from the eye, ear, nose, throat, mouth, axilla, umbilicus, groin, glans penis, and anus. There was no buildup of biochemical types with time in any test condition. There was no difference in the frequencies of biochemical types when either the coagulase-mannitol marker or the deoxyribonuclease marker was used to indicate the potentially pathogenic type. The subjects remained healthy without any decrease in resistance to infection throughout all the test conditions. Those body areas most likely to harbor potentially pathogenic staphylococci are the nose and groin. In concurrent metabolic studies, the physiological, biochemical, and nutritional parameters investigated were all in the normal range of clinical values. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0664340
Entities
People
- Bonnie S. Horstman
- Joseph V. Rack
- Leonard P. Lotter
Organizations
- Miami Valley Hospital