| Document ID (ISN) | 76036 |
| CIS number |
01-252 |
| ISSN - Serial title |
0095-6562 - Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine |
| Year |
1999 |
| Convention or series no. |
|
| Author(s) |
Payne D.A., Mehta S.K., Tyring S.K., Stowe R.P., Pierson D.L. |
| Title |
Incidence of Epstein-Barr virus in astronaut saliva during spaceflight |
| Bibliographic information |
Dec. 1999, Vol.70, No.12, p.1211-1213. Illus. 23 ref. |
| Abstract |
Astronauts experience psychological and physical stresses that may result in reactivation of latent viruses during spaceflight, potentially increasing the risk of disease among crewmembers. In order to test the hypothesis that the level of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the saliva of astronauts increases during spaceflight, a total of 534 saliva specimens were collected from 11 EBV-seropositive astronauts before, during, and after four space shuttle missions. The presence of EBV DNA in saliva was assessed by polymerase chain reaction. The findings were that EBV DNA was detected more frequently before flight than during or after flight. No significant difference between the inflight and postflight periods was detected in the frequency of occurrence of EBV DNA. In conclusion, the increased frequency of shedding of EBV before flight suggests that stress levels may be greater before launch than during or after spaceflight. |
| Descriptors (primary) |
viruses; space travel; stress factors; neurotropic virus infections |
| Descriptors (secondary) |
determination in saliva; frequency rates; DNA |
| Document type |
D - Periodical articles |
| Country / State or Province | USA |
| Subject(s) |
Occupational pathology
|
| Broad subject area(s) |
Biological hazards
|
| Browse category(ies) |
Space travel
Mental stress and burnout
Bacterial and parasitic diseases
Viral diseases (other than aids)
Zoonoses
|
