Don't forget that the Herpes family also includes Herpes/Varicella Zoster, aka Chickenpox; and it also can be awakened by stress.

So almost 40% of humanity does not have HSV-1.

Astronaut selection is already severe. You don't get selected if you have tuberculosis, diabetes, amputations, or deafness. Once selected, you won't go on the launch if you are sick with the flu.

It doesn't seem like HSV-1 needs to be a problem in space. Simply add that to the gigantic list of conditions that prevent space travel.

I highly doubt that HSV-1 is anywhere near 60% in the pool of astronaut candidates. Disease presence is correlated: if you have one, you probably have another. Since lots of other diseases would already be disqualifying, adding HSV-1 to the checklist won't strike off very many potential astronauts.

It's related to age, as you would expect from any contagious virus that's ubiquitous in the environment and doesn't go away. 0.01% of newborns have HSV-1 [1]; 90% of 50-year-olds have it [2]. The 40% of humanity without HSV-1 are largely under 30. Your typical astronaut is much more likely to be towards the 40-50 year old end of the scale.

[1] https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/pediatrics/infecti...

[2] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/adu...

It says "90 percent of adults have been exposed to the virus by age 50", but I didn't think that exposure necessarily meant infection.

> I highly doubt that HSV-1 is anywhere near 60% in the pool of astronaut candidates. Disease presence is correlated: if you have one, you probably have another. Since lots of other diseases would already be disqualifying, adding HSV-1 to the checklist won't strike off very many potential astronauts.

Dude, I've had cold sores since I was a child. There's no relationship between HSV-1 and other diseases.

>Dude, I've had cold sores since I was a child. There's no relationship between HSV-1 and other diseases.

Repeated (chronic) bacterial or viral wounding doesn't result in increased cancer risks? I find that hard to believe.

>I highly doubt that HSV-1 is anywhere near 60% in the pool of astronaut candidates. Disease presence is correlated: if you have one, you probably have another. Since lots of other diseases would already be disqualifying, adding HSV-1 to the checklist won't strike off very many potential astronauts.

I took exception to the claim that having cold sores meant you were otherwise "diseased". Can it have long term effects? Yes, but I don't believe an increased long term cancer risk means you're not able to become an astronaut.

so are you saying that you have data to show correlation between HSV 1 and other diseases? Please share.

Herpes and Alzheimer's https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/07/herpes-v...

more on HN: https://hn.algolia.com/?query=herpes%20alzheimer&sort=byPopu...

HHV–6 is pointed out as causing the same issue - according to wikipedia HHV-6B is in pretty much every person.

The estimates I've seen were more 1/3 to 1/2 of people being infected but it is very common because most people engage in unprotected kissing with a number of partners. I have, in fact, never heard of anyone using a barrier while kissing so I don't think you can expect that someone with HSV-1 to also have other diseases.

My sex ed class taught me to use a dental dam for protection while kissing. I guess some people got abstinence-only classes, but most of us were taught how to stay safe.

I've also known multiple people in the USA who actually succeeded with abstinence. They did not kiss or spend time alone with the opposite sex until their wedding day.

IMHO the abstinence looks easier, but the use of protection is being taught.

Sounds like one of those "the cure is worse than the disease" situations.

Almost like they wanted the next most useless thing to abstinence, complicated process.

40% of humanity is under 20 years old. They will get it by the time they grow up to be an astronaut.

Okay, so otherwise qualified and highly skilled people should not be allowed into space due to a potentially minor skin condition. Makes sense. What if they break out with severe acne on the way to the launch pad?

How severe? If the acne is really severe, yes indeed they don't go to space.

Space travel is like that. At something like $20,000,000 per person, going to a difficult work environment, being picky is important.

"amputations"

Leg amputations sound to me like they could be a potential advantage in space.

Is it a circulation thing, or swimming out of a flooding capsule thing?