THE POTENTIAL HAZARD OF STAPHYLOCOCCI AND MICROCOCCI TO HUMAN SUBJECTS IN A LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS EVALUATOR WHILE ON A SIMULATED GT-7 MISSION.
Abstract
Four human male subjects participated in a 6-week simulated aerospace study and during confinement were kept under controlled metabolic conditions. During this time 28 consecutive days were spent in a Life Support Systems Evaluator. The subjects ate fresh, heat processed, freeze dehydrated, and compressed bite sized foods while exposed to simulated aerospace stress of confinement, wearing an unpressurized 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 mannitol. The results show that there were no significant differences in frequency of occurrence of biochemical types among subjects and among environmental areas during the chamber period. There were significant differences in the frequency of occurrence of biochemical types on nose, throat, gingiva, axilla, groin, glans penis, anus, and toe. There was no buildup of biochemical types with time in any test condition. One phage type, 29/UC-18, was recovered and was passed from one subject the environment but not to other subjects. 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 consecutive 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. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0664909
Entities
People
- Bonnie S. Horstman
- Leonard P. Lotter
Organizations
- Miami Valley Hospital