[Preflight Staphylococcus aureus carrier state of the cosmonauts]

A preflight study of Staphylococcus aureus carriage in cosmonauts has demonstrated that the microorganism harbors in 79.4% of the tested and microbial foci of the carriers amount to 10(2) ml. The isolated Staphylococcus aureus strains show a pronounced plasma coagulatory, alpha-toxic activity and 67.4% of them can be typed by the International set phages. Prophylactic administration of the native staphylococcal anatoxin increases specific antistaphylococcal immunity, reduces or eliminates completely Staphylococcus aureus in the upper respiratory airways.