PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S ): Gerald R. Taylor 



EXPERIMENT TITLE/NUMBER : Medical Microbiological Analysis of U. S. 



Crewm embers 



PROGRAM/MISSION : Apollo-Soyuz Test Project 



CLASSIFICATION : Human, Microorganism 



DISCIPLINE(S) : Environmental health 



OBJECTIVES : To identify and trace all microorganisms of potential medical 

 importance . 



PROTOCOL : Nine sets of specimens were collected from the three prime Apollo 

 crewmembers on days F-M5, F-30, F-15, and F-7, and on launch day; once during 

 flight; on recovery days R+0, ft+15, and R+30. Inflight samples were obtained 

 from all five flight crewmembers on both spacecraft. During each preflight 

 and postf light sample period, microbial specimens were collected from 10 

 sampling sites on each crewmember. Calcium alginate swabs wetted in 0.3mM 

 phosphate buffer were used to sample each of the seven body surface areas. 

 Dry calcium alginate swabs were used to sample the surfaces of the tonsils and 

 the posterior pharyngeal vault before collection of the gargle specimen. 



EQUIPMENT : Microbial sample collection device. 



RESULTS : Although several potential pathogens were recovered from each of the 

 flight and backup crewmembers before and after flight, no disease events were 

 reported. Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus were shown to have been 

 transferred from one crewmember to another during flight. 



CONCLUSIONS : There were no medically significant changes in the microbial 

 population, nor were any long-term hazards noted. 



PUBLICATIONS : 506, 507, 50b 



170 



