Reactivation of Herpes Virus During Space Flight

After primary infection, the herpes virus persists in a latent phase and can reactivate in patients during periods of stress or immune deficiency. Such reactivations lead to virus shedding and can be symptomatic or asymptomatic. Space travel is associated with common stressors, including sleep deprivation and anxiety, as well as unique stressors, such as cosmic radiation and microgravity, that could lead to herpes virus reactivation.

Now, investigators have reviewed the literature on the effects of space travel on latent herpes virus reactivation. They found that 53% of astronauts on short-duration space flights, such as space shuttle missions, and 61% of astronauts on long-duration missions, such as on the international space station, shed …