Scientists Develop Plague Vaccine
03:24 PM ET 08/26/99
LONDON (AP) - British government scientists said Thursday they have developed a
vaccine against bubonic plague to help protect military troops from biological warfare.
The vaccine is in a ``particularly advanced stage'' of development and is ready to be
tested on humans, Rick Hall, technical director at the government's military research
center, said in a British Broadcasting Corp. interview.
``Of course once it is licensed - through exactly the same process as any other
medicine - it will not only provide increased protection for Britain and its armed forces,
but it will also be available to help protect civilians in parts of the world where plague
occurs naturally,'' Hall said.
The research was prompted by fears that countries such as Iraq are developing
new methods of biological attack.
Bubonic plague is a contagious disease usually transmitted by fleas from
infected rats. Symptoms in humans resemble those of flu, including a headache, fever,
chills and possibly painfully swollen lymph nodes in the armpit, groin or neck areas. In
the pneumonic stage, the disease spreads to the lungs.
A Ministry of Defense spokesman declined to talk specifically about the
government's research.
``There is certainly research going on looking at biological weapons and
chemical weapons,'' said the spokesman, speaking with customary anonymity. ``We have never
made any secret about that. We need to look at the different agents which could be used
against our troops and develop suitable medicines and vaccines against them.''
