Scientists Create Deadlier TB Strain By Accident

Makarand writes "BBC News is reporting that Scientists at the University of California (Berkeley, U.S.) accidentally created a hyper-virulent form of the Tuberculosis bacterium while trying to alter its genetic structure to make it less deadly. The mutant form of the super-bug could multiply more quickly and also had the unexpected effect of undermining the body's own immune response against Tuberculosis."

Comments

Hmmmm

[Hanji]

I'm reading Stephen King's The Stand at the moment. 'nuff said.

Re:Kinda frightening

[Demolition]

That is a pretty frightening bit 'o news there

Yes, it is frightening. And, I'm not just agreeing with you because of what could occur in the future if a variant strain of TB was accidentally (or even purposely) released into the general population, but because I've already personally experienced the suffering that it can cause. TB has hit my family particularly hard -- three of my aunts succumbed to it during internment in World War II.

So, when I hear about researchers fooling about with virulent diseases (diseases which should have been eradicated long ago!) for seemingly superficial or spurious reasons, then I always get an uneasy feeling. Especially when they say that these hyper-virulent strains should, as Dr. Stoker says in the article, "pose no danger to humans". I hope that those aren't the proverbial famous last words.

D.