Spaceflight May Compromise Astronaut's Immune System
Department:
Aerospace
Teaser:
"A long journey in space may actually compromise the immune system and make astronauts more susceptible disease."
Source:
SPACE.com Download time: Jun 1 2011 9:42 AM ET
Space is hardly an ideal place to become ill, and because of this, astronauts take precautions to avoid getting sick before a mission. But a long journey in space may actually compromise the immune system and make astronauts more susceptible to disease, a new study suggests.
The results show flying in space reduces the integrity of antibodies, making them less able to fight off disease.
The study was conducted in salamanders, and it's not clear if the same thing happens in humans. But the findings agree with those of several earlier studies on astronauts that have suggested space travel weakens the immune system.…
See SPACE.com for links to further info.
