|
|
Article: You Nose It.(development of nose drops that will deliver a vaccine to fight the bacterium that causes bubonic plague)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- The Evening Standard (London, England)
- Article date:
- April 1, 1999
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Carus Publishing Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Bubonic plague victims might soon be sniffing with relief. If British researchers are right, a special nose drop will soon cure those who suffer from that deadly disease, the one that brought on the Black Death in 14th-century Europe and has recently reappeared in Madagascar.
Bubonic plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. It is spread by fleas that live on rodents. Once infected, the carrier can become deathly ill within a day. Furthermore, if that infected person coughs, the deadly bacteria can be transported directly into the lungs of others nearby. This is how a plague can spread rapidly. If treated quickly by a vaccine, however, the patient has a ...