NCM 2022: Method development for multiplex, In-Situ, and real-time detection of herpesvirus reactivation in spaceflight crews using nanopore sequencing
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Reactivation of latent herpesviruses in crews onboard the International Space Station (ISS) is a well-established spaceflight-associated phenomenon and has been linked to overall immune stress1 . Beyond an indicator of an altered immune state, this stress-induced reactivation of viruses such as herpesvirus simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV) may cause clinical symptoms in crew. There is currently no established protocol for in-flight monitoring, and samples are analyzed post-flight using groundbased assays. The paradigm that samples must be returned to Earth for analysis was broken in 2017 when the portable molecular platforms, miniPCR and the MinION, were validated for in situ bacterial identification onboard the ISS2-4 . Building on this previous work, a real-time, in-flight method for herpesvirus detection followed by stress-mitigation strategies is both possible and a significant advance in reducing crew health risks and enabling long duration spaceflight.