Plague Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Plague, including details on bubonic plague, yersinia pestis, infection, types, treatment.

Current challenges in the development of vaccines for pneumonic plague.

Smiley ST

Trudeau Institute, 154 Algonquin Avenue, Saranac Lake, NY 12983, USA. ssmiley@trudeauinstitute.org

Inhalation of Yersinia pestis bacilli causes pneumonic plague, a rapidly progressing and exceptionally virulent disease. Extensively antibiotic-resistant Y. pestis strains exist and we currently lack a safe and effective pneumonic plague vaccine. These facts raise concern that Y. pestis may be exploited as a bioweapon. Here, I review the history and status of plague vaccine research and advocate that pneumonic plague vaccines should strive to prime both humoral and cellular immunity.

Published 7 March 2008 in Expert Rev Vaccines, 7(2): 209-21.
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