Space Pathogens: My Two Cents

https://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/522657/Killer-virus-wipe-out-human-race-from-space

Epidemiologists and Virologists frequently all argue about the Next Big One (NBO), and where the NBO may come from. For the reader who isn’t acquainted with epidemiological phraseology, the NBO is the next big pathogen—whether it be a virus, bacteria, prion, or another pestilence—to infect the human population. Although most of their discussion focuses on Earthly lifeforms and microbes, I will focus on the seldom studied space pestilence. 

If you have seen the Hollywood film, The Andromeda Strain, you get the idea: something falls from space, and, more or less, kills everybody. It makes a great movie plot, but how applicable is it to real life? 

With the creation of the space force and interstellar travel on the horizon in the near future, we cannot ignore the issue of these space pestilences or pathogens. 

To start things off, let’s focus on bacteria. Bacteria are a unique facet of life: they are ubiquitous on Earth and in our bodies. However, I will unapologetically rule out bacteria as the Next Big One. At the moment, the International Space Station is festooned with a plethora of bacteria, encompassing all different varieties and species. However, these extraterrestrial bacteria have, sadly, originated from Earth and were transported via rockets from the surface. Therefore, they are not true extraterrestrials in a strict sense. Although these microbes are incredibly durable, withstanding UV radiation as well as extremely high temperatures, they are not likely to cause serious harm in humans. For instance, NASA scientists discovered Staphylococcus aureus—which usually leads to skin infections and, in rare cases, can lead to pneumonia. Though Staphylococcus infections are a formidable foe, they are not highly infectious and will most likely not be the Next Big One. As for other bacteria, the verdict remains unclear. The presence of bacteria is indeed concerning: if bacteria are able to thrive on the exterior surface of the space station, then what is next? In the future, as humans push further into the deep stretches of space, we may encounter a new extremophile: maybe a new form of anthrax or something deadlier. However, modern antibiotics may provide a brief bit of respite, quelling any initial infection. With the precautions currently in place and the modern arsenal of antibiotics, the topic of extraterrestrial bacteria is a moot point. 

Viruses, especially the extraterrestrial kind, are abstruse, so in order to understand the realm of space viruses, we first need to become acquainted with an old foe: the virus. Unlike bacteria and plasmodia, viruses are not alive. Viruses cannot reproduce or survive on their own; they need a host. That’s where you and I come in—the hosts. Viruses affect not only humans but also animals (and maybe, maybe even extraterrestrial life). These pesky viruses are microscopic, and although they may be small, viruses can debilitate humans, animals, plants, etc.

Are viruses floating around in space like algae in the sea? The answer is probably not. The reason is simple: viruses are not invincible to UV light. Biosafety laboratories across the world use ultraviolet light to inactivate and destroy a virus’s genome. Without a genome, the virus is effectively destroyed. Space, as you may know, is teeming with ultraviolet radiation, which has the potential to inactivate these pesky viruses. Viruses also need a host to survive. To replicate their DNA or RNA, they need access to a viable host, which may be hard to find in the deep abyss of space. Without a viable host and under the constant pressure from UV radiation and frigid temperatures, viruses will have a tough time surviving. However, inside a pressurized and temperature-controlled spaceship, viruses may have a chance, which is why NASA instituted a mandatory quarantine upon returning from space.

Since the early 1960s, NASA has taken precautions to prevent the spread of these ostensible pathogens. In 1969, upon returning to Earth, the Apollo 11 mission crew was quarantined for three weeks. Their humble abode was eerily similar to a modern-day Level Four Biocontainment facility—HEPA air filters, a negative pressure system, and other creature comforts to make the experience “more pleasurable.” Although the crew of the Apollo 11 mission contracted no pathogens from space, NASA continued with the much-dreaded isolation practice for the Apollo 12 and 14 missions. However, much to the dismay of epidemiologists, NASA eventually nixed the practice, citing no clear evidence of “space germs.” 

In the present day, NASA stills remains an exemplary representation of a bureaucratic organization: no clear policy surrounding the issue of space viruses and extraterrestrial samples. This is, however, especially worrisome given the renewed interest in space exploration by SpaceX, Blue Origin, and NASA. Although NASA may be correct in assuming that there is no present risk from extraterrestrial microbes, the solar system is a sprawling array of planets and stars, which could potentially contain the next Coronavirus. Therefore, caution is advised. 

Evan Navori is a sophomore at Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service. With a keen interest in infectious diseases and the natural world, Evan is the author of a book entitled “Etiology” (publishing in December of 2020) about the connection between climate change and infectious diseases. In the future, he hopes to enter the medical field, potentially joining the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) as a researcher/M.D.