Outer space reactivates EBV/Herpes

[roller]

Nasa's $80,000 HERPES study: Astronauts to undergo testing to find out why virus is more aggressive in space

• Nasa will be doing research at the University of Florida
• Effects of space on mutation rate and diversity of human persistent viruses
• The study will focus on four different types of the herpes virus

By STACY LIBERATORE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 00:28 GMT, 28 January 2016 | UPDATED: 02:41 GMT, 28 January 2016
EXCERPT BELOW

Researchers hope to understand the mutation rate and why symptoms of the virus become worse when it leaves Earth.

'The goal of this study will be to determine the changes in the genomic and mutational diversity that is present in the Herpesvirus virome present in astronaut saliva and urine samples collected before, during, and after space flight,' said Nasa.

WHAT ARE TYPES OF HERPES ARE BEING STUDIED?
Epstein Barr virus: Also known as human herpesvirus 4, is a member of the herpes virus family and is spread bodily fluids, mainly saliva.

Varicella zoster: Known to infect humans and vertebrates. It only affects humans, and commonly causes chickenpox in children, teens and young adults

Cytomegalovirus: It spreads from person to person through body fluids, such as blood, saliva, urine, semen and breast milk.

Herpes simplex viruses: Can cause genital herpes, but most cases of genital herpes are caused by herpes type 2. In HSV-2, the infected person may have sores around the genitals or rectum.

'At least four (Epstein Barr virus- EBV, Varicella zoster virus- VZV, Cytomegalovirus– CMV, and Herpes simplex virus 1 -HSV1) of the eight known human Herpesviruses are common life-long infections humans have shown to reactivated due to space flight,' NASA said.

In 2012, Nasa published an article explaining why so many astronauts suffer from shingles after they travel into space.

'Eight herpes viruses may reside in the human body, and virtually all of us are infected by one or more of these viruses,' reported the article.

An early detection for shingles is already being used by Nasa, in order to help astronauts avoid the painful effects of the virus before it resurfaces, according to the article.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3420129/Nasa-s-80-000-HERPES-study-Astronauts-undergo-testing-virus-aggressive-space.html

 

[roller]

so, they come back with shingles.

and one would bet they were pretty healthy and robust guys when leaving...

 

[msf]

Damn, does that mean I won´t get to be an astronaut now?

 

[sarah darwins]

Damn, does that mean I won´t get to be an astronaut now?

Perhaps you already have been. This report clearly supports the alien abduction theory of ME.

 

[Gemini]

so, they come back with shingles....

Interestingly with low blood volume, too...... also occurring in ME/CFS.

Their blood volume readjusts once back on Earth.

Vanderbilt's Autonomic Research Center studied astronauts & ME/CFS patients years ago.

Blood volume loss in space:

http://space.stackexchange.com/questions/2611/how-do-astronauts-battle-loss-of-blood-in-microgravity

 

[sarah darwins]

I couldn't resist ... http://forums.phoenixrising.me/index.php?entries/the-psxch-files-…-revisited-i-still-believe.1900/

 

[roller]

i thought they could simulate the whole flight in their labs?
having astronauts for days under the conditions in space?
means, they havent been able to find the reason for EBV activation in their labs?

perhaps its something with magnetism?
there is magnetic something in our cells (due to iron and other things), our nerves are sending electric impulses, faik.

im wondering, what happens to worms - they may die on their way up/down?
that would change the immune response, very quickly.

 

[panckage]

Damn, does that mean I won´t get to be an astronaut now?

Maybe we wouldn't want to come back. I bet we could get a little more done up there haha

 

[Gemini]

i thought they could simulate the whole flight in their labs?
having astronauts for days under the conditions in space?
means, they havent been able to find the reason for EBV activation in their labs?

I too thought they monitored physiological responses with simulations & during actual flights.

Wonder if release of natural hormones, corticosteroids, associated with herpes reactivation is involved?

At the molecular pathway level here's some interesting recent reactivation findings (as @Jonathan Edwards
would caution it's an animal model, but perhaps the allure of studying astronauts will move the research more quickly to humans):

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151209143105.htm

 

[RYO]

I have often wondered if anyone looked into whether there is any correlation between solar flare activity and its effect on viral outbreaks. Are astronaut's immune systems stressed from increased exposure to radiation or lack of gravity?