Missing lab mice infected with plague (2 wks. ago in N.J.)

[donsu]

http://www.physorg.com/news6533.html#fark


The mice were discovered missing from separate cages at a bioterrorism research facility in Newark more than two weeks ago, but the incident was only confirmed Wednesday by the Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger.

The research lab, located at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, is operated by the Public Health Research Institute, a center for infectious disease research.

-snip-

Richard Ebright, a Rutgers University microbiologist and a critic of the government's rapid expansion of bio-terrorism labs, said federal guidelines call for only minimal security at such laboratories -- a lock on the lab door and a lock on the sample container and cage.

"You have more security at a McDonald's than at some of these facilities," Ebright told the newspaper.
--------------------------------------------


these mice didn't get themselves out of the cages.

[Deja Q]

1. So much for homerland security. Again.

One would think these places would be properly controlled.

[giant_robot]

2. There's no excuse for losing those mice...

...but there's never going to be an outbreak of plague in the US as long as we have penicillin.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

4. but there's never going to be an outbreak of plague

Ahem.


http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2004/10/01/story530750965.asp
FLESH-EATING bacteria cases, fatal pneumonia and life-threatening heart infections suddenly are popping up around the US, striking healthy people and stunning their doctors.The cause? Staph, a bacteria better known for causing skin boils which used to be easily treated with standard antibiotic pills.

No more, say infectious disease experts, who increasingly are seeing these "superbugs" - strains of Staphylococcus aureus - unfazed by the entire penicillin family and other first-line drugs.

Until a few years ago, these drug-resistant infections were unheard of except in hospital patients, prison inmates and the chronically ill.

Now, resistant strains are infecting healthy children, athletes and others with no connection to a hospital.

[giant_robot]

5. Multiple drug resistance is a problem in Staph aureus...

...but Yersinia pestis is very senstitive to all penicillin derivitaves. As I said, there's no excuse for losing those mice, but no public health crisis will come of this.

Wring your hands and fret if you must, but this story has been sensationalized because of the word "plague", imho.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

6. Give us dirty laudry.... or so the song went.... sensationalized yes

but we do live in frightening times... biologically speaking.

It's coming down to where the best defense is the one you were born with.

[giant_robot]

7. Indeed we do live in frightening times...

...I'm afraid I foisted an unfair advantage on you: I recently earned a doctorate in microbiology in an infectious diseases laboratory. Yet, you inspired me to do a little research to support my argument, and I found that I was partially mistaken. Although Y. pestis is sensitive to antibiotics, streptomycin (a protein synthesis inhibitor) and ciprofloxacin (a DNA gyrase inhibitor) are the drugs of choice. Beta lactamases (such as penicillin derivitaves) are ineffective. However, I still believe (imho) that the threat to public health from the escape of these lab animals is minimal.

Actually, I'm planning on applying for a postdoctoral position in the Department of Homeland Security. I'm a little bit conflicted about working for that particular agency, but according to the job description, it involves developing rapid methods of detection of dangerous pathogens. I think I can live with that.

On edit: Typos. Damn! All those years of grad school and I *still* can't type!

[TallahasseeGrannie]

3. I grew up in NJ.

All the mice have the plague.


ok, just kidding. It's the GARDEN state after all. We had a garden growing up. And there was a tree down the block, too.

[expatriate]

8. The mice should not have been lost, yes

but unless you're often bitten by fleas, and are bitten by a flea that has become infected by feeding from these three mice, you're probably okay.

Plague is active in some parts of the US - there are several cases every year in the Southwest, where it is endemic. Thankfully, it is usually caught early, and responds well to antibiotics.

The great plagues that swept Europe during the Middle Ages happened because people lived in close quarters and practiced very little hygeine - and were crawling with parasites, including plague-infected fleas.

Better to be concerned about the bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics and disinfectants, because of the overuse of both.