Research sheds new light on potential bioterrorist agent.(Brief Article)

2002 APR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- By studying how to unlock the secrets of bubonic plague, Matthew Nilles is not only learning how infectious diseases kill but also helping to combat the threat of bioterrorism.

Nilles is developing a better understanding at the molecular level of Yersinia pestis, the bacteria that causes bubonic plague. His research could lead to new vaccines and improved antibiotics to combat bioterrorism and prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Nilles' laboratory at the department of microbiology and immunology at the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine and Health Sciences is one of a handful in the United States studying the Yersinia bacterium. However, since the terrorist attacks of September 11 and the anthrax attacks that followed, interest in research on bubonic plague and other infectious diseases is growing.

"There are a couple of reasons why," said Nilles. "First, it's one of the three leading candidates for bioterrorism or biological warfare weaponry. Second, it's a very good disease model, which is my interest."

By conducting research that furthers the scientific understanding of how bubonic plague is caused, much of what's learned about in the laboratory can be broadly applied to other diseases. These include Salmonella, dysentery (Shigella), and infections in patients with cystic fibrosis and patients with burn wounds (Pseudomonas aeruginosa).

"Plus, there's a whole host of other animal and plant diseases that act in similar manners," Nilles said.

Spread by rats carrying infected fleas, bubonic plague - also known as the Black Plague or Black Death - swept across Europe and Asia in the 14th century, killing millions. In contrast, Nilles said that today there are an average of 12 cases a year in this country and about 3000 worldwide. Therefore, until recently, interest in it was limited.