Mycological profile of crew during 56-day simulated orbital flight

Mycological analyses were made on specimens obtained from the skin, oral rinse, urine, and feces of three subjects participating in a 56 day Skylab simulation test. Samples were taken over a 175 day period divided into three phases consisting of a prechamber, intrachamber, and postchamber period. A total of 69 species of filamentous fungi and 22 species of yeast and yeast-like fungi were recovered and identified. There was a marked decrease in the isolation incidence of both the filamentous and yeast and yeast-like fungi during the intrachamber period. This, taken with the fact that 71% of the filamentous species and 55% of the yeast and yeast-like species were isolated no more than twice, reflects the transitory nature of the relationship between the human body and most fungi. However, there was a relative increase in the potential pathogens Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis during the intrachamber period. Over 50% of all fungi recovered were isolated from the nasal and oral cavities. There was no evidence of intercrew transfer of a particular species during the intrachamber period nor was there any evidence of microbial shock during the postchamber period.