Researcher dies of the plague

[Guest guest]

A couple of things about this article. It was my understanding that the plague was an old disease that was no longer much of an issue. However, if the number quoted in the article, it seems rather common.

Another point is how the scientists treat these germs. They supposed made one safe, yet it still managed to kill someone. I wonder if that new strain was contagious and if it is loose in the general population now or what other germs are loose. Along the same lines, I've read that certain employees at animal disease research labs are warned not to have pets, visit farms or zoos because they are likely carriers of the diseases they study and could infect animals with them.

It is also rather odd that we allow so many of these diseases to be studied in small research facilities at civilian locations. One would think that this kind of research would be centered in remote locations or at least outside of major cities in much more secure buildings. But then again, as I mentioned about the animal disease research: one of the main facilities is being closed down and moved right into the middle of cattle country, and tornado alley, because the politicians want it in their district.

Quote:

Plague infects more than 2,000 people worldwide each year, according to the World Health Organization in Geneva. Early detection and treatment with antibiotics are important, and about 90 percent of reported cases survive. About 5 to 10 cases occur in the U.S. each year, passed through rodents and the fleas that feed on them, the CDC said. The last time a scientist was sickened by the plague was in 1959, the CDC reported.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-25/plague-kills-u-s-scientist-in-first-laboratory-case-in-50-years-cdc-says.html