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Article: Vaccine fully protects mice from lethal aerosol challenge with ricin toxin.
- Article from:
- Biotech Week
- Article date:
- August 25, 2004
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2004 AUG 25 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Scientists have developed an experimental vaccine against ricin, a potential biological threat agent, which fully protected mice from aerosol challenge with lethal doses of the toxin. The study was performed at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID).
Ricin is a toxin derived from the castor plant, which is grown throughout the world for commercial purposes. Approximately 1 million pounds of castor beans are used each year in the process of manufacturing castor oil.
When inhaled as a small-particle aerosol, ricin produces severe respiratory symptoms followed by respiratory ...