<FONT COLOR=ORANGE>Just heard on the news that something like 34 vials of Bubonic Plague are missing from Texas Tech University. They have called in the FBI!!! Hope this stuff doesn't get out. I know it's not like Ebola, but it could still sicken a lot of people! </font>

didn't it kill something like 3/4 of the population of europe? I'm sure its fun stuff

<font color=orange>It's treatable with antibiotics! Hopefully it's just been mis-placed.</font>

*nods* just saw it on CNN, some info from the CDC:

<font color="CCCCCC">Introduction: Plague is an infectious disease of animals and humans caused by a bacterium named Yersinia pestis.

Click here for information on bioterrorism preparedness and response regarding plague
People usually get plague from being bitten by a rodent flea that is carrying the plague bacterium or by handling an infected animal. Millions of people in Europe died from plague in the Middle Ages, when human homes and places of work were inhabited by flea-infested rats. Today, modern antibiotics are effective against plague, but if an infected person is not treated promptly, the disease is likely to cause illness or death.

Risk: Wild rodents in certain areas around the world are infected with plague. Outbreaks in people still occur in rural communities or in cities. They are usually associated with infected rats and rat fleas that live in the home. In the United States, the last urban plague epidemic occurred in Los Angeles in 1924-25. Since then, human plague in the United States has occurred as mostly scattered cases in rural areas (an average of 10 to 15 persons each year). Globally, the World Health Organization reports 1,000 to 3,000 cases of plague every year. In North America, plague is found in certain animals and their fleas from the Pacific Coast to the Great Plains, and from southwestern Canada to Mexico. Most human cases in the United States occur in two regions: 1) northern New Mexico, northern Arizona, and southern Colorado; and 2) California, southern Oregon, and far western Nevada. Plague also exists in Africa, Asia, and South America.</font>
according to the cdc's website there were no cases in Europe from 1970-1998 (along with Canada, egypt, Australia, etc. source for the info is here

Don't panic. Plague is easily treatable with readily available antibioics.

Agreed Att, there are very few cases in humans a year (as stated before 10-15 in the US per year is a miniscule amount) and I'm sure the fatalities are much fewer

The 3/4 population death of the Bubonic Plauge was so extreme because of the lack of sanitation and the lack of proper medicine.

I just heard on the radio that all the vials have been recovered. No details on what happened though.

thank god it was found. what would happen if they would bring it here in the 3rd world (like here in the Philippines)... instant plague :(

That's a relief [img]smile.gif[/img]

Bah, scientists are tying to scare us! :D

The black death is no longer a threat, no need to have worried anyway. It is easily treatable these days. Yeah it killed like 2/3 of Europe because there was no cure fot it then and yes the sanitation was crap so rats were everywhere and they carried the disease.

Oh well then New York should be safe. There are no rats in New York City are there? New Yorks also really clean. No garbage. No plague could take hold here... right?