Bacteria tests reveal how MRSA strain can kill in 24 hours

The Guardian (UK) ^ | 1/19/07 | Ian Sample

[Centurion2000]

Scientists at the University of Texas in Houston and Lyon University in France conducted experiments into PVL to work out why it was so lethal. They took two batches of normal staphylococcus aureus bacteria and modified one of them to produce the PVL toxin.

Do they realize they were a bioengineering a weapon here?

[DesScorp]

Skipper, first, where are you going to med school at, out of curiosity? Second, with a wife and a 16 month old child heading for major and minor surgery in the next two months, do you recommend that I use this tea tree oil stuff around the house? The Wikipedia entry says it can do all manner of marvelous things, from treating athletes foot to sanitizing house surfaces. Is that true?

[DesScorp]

“I imagine the pharmaceutical companies are working to develop antibiotics to fight these bacteria. On the other hand, if Hillary care or some variant of it is passed that penalizes drug companies for successful research we may not get the new drugs needed to fight this coming pandemic.”

Thanks from bringing that up. The vast majority of new drugs are developed in the US...there’s a profit motive here. Take away the profit motive, and you take away most of the progress in drug development.

[IronJack]

Do you happen to wear a t-shirt with the motto “NO FEAR” and have other juvenile habits?

I don't wear a lot of t-shirts. I'm at the stage of life where they're mostly polos and sweatshirts. But I do have one that says "I'm with Stupid." I can break it out next time you stop over.