Oral ulcers in an Antarctic expedition

摘要

Twenty six members of the 27th Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica (ISEA) wintered over at Indian Antarctic Station, Maitri (70°45'S; 11°44'E) from November 2007 to February 2009. The extreme isolation precludes frequent supplies to the continent. All essentials, including food, are supplied once a year, almost entirely by ship in ISEA. During the brief summer months, fresh food is supplied by air in limited quantities. The 'fresh' food brought by the ship too was not as fresh since it was loaded on the ship in December 2008, just before its departure from India. The journey lasted 25 days. The food is stored in deep freezers at regulated temperatures below -20 °C and is available in sufficient quantities to last the entire duration of the expedition.