Bacteria that causes the plague
September 19, 2009 (CHICAGO) (WLS) — There was word Saturday that the death of a University of Chicago scientist may be linked to a bacteria that causes the plague.
VIDEO: Death linked to bacteria?
The researcher, who died Sunday, studied the genetics of harmful bacteria, including a weakened strain of yersinia pestis.
The University of Chicago says there doesn’t appear to be any threat to the public, and no other illness related to the case has been reported.
The weakened strain does not require the safety precautions associated with working on virulent strains. The modified strain of “y-pestis” has been approved by the Centers for Disease Control for routine laboratory studies, and it is not known to cause illness in healthy adults.
The departments of public health for both Chicago and the state, as well as the CDC, are investigating.
OK, I have long understood and supported the very simple fact that it is more beneficial to study the pathogens of our world rather than ignore them because doing so introduces an inherent risk of its own. However, if it is a weakened strain, one “not known to cause illness in healthy adults”, why is it assumed the researcher died as a result of it?
I have a long standing fascination with plague [yersinia pestis], and the US has an average of a few wild infections each year. It is readily treated with common antibiotics, provided treatment is begun in a timely manner.
Of course, it’s important to remember that the researcher’s death and his work may only be coincidental, and not “cause and effect”. Hopefully, we will know one way or another in fairly short order.
Posted via web from SophiaZoe
