Be careful with antibiotics in space, scientists say

Scientists are cautioning that antibiotics should be used sparingly in space out of concern they could rapidly fuel drug resistance in bacteria. In a new study published this morning in mBio, researchers report that E. coli treated with antibiotics in a simulated microgravity environment quickly developed resistance to antibiotics. Even when they were no longer exposed to an antibiotic, the bacteria remained resistant to the drugs over time. Cells grown under the same conditions that didn't get hit with antibiotics, on the other hand, didn't develop resistance. That finding is of particular concern for astronauts, who might have a suppressed immune systems due to microgravity, sleep deprivation, isolation, and other factors.