U.S. Research Team created genetically engineered Mousepox

Mousepox 'Superbug' Test Riles

CBS -SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 1, 2003

(AP) A research team backed by a federal grant has created a genetically engineered mousepox virus designed to evade vaccines, underscoring biotechnology's deadly potential and stirring debate over whether such research plays into the hands of terrorists.

The team at Saint Louis University, led by Mark Buller, created the superbug to figure out how to defeat it, a key goal of the government's anti-terrorism plan.

The researchers designed a two-drug cocktail that promises to defeat their exceptionally deadly virus. They hope to publish their work soon in a peer review journal.

“The whole focus was to contribute to the biodefense agenda of the country,” Buller said.

Buller spliced a gene known to suppress the immune system into the mousepox virus, then injected the combined strand into vaccinated mice. All of them died.

Mousepox can't be passed to humans, but it's a close relative to smallpox, making it an ideal virus to study in animals.

The research highlights a contentious discussion among scientists and security experts: Does publication of such work help or hinder the biodefense effort? Should such studies be conducted at all?

In response to heightened security concerns, many scientific journals have censored studies with national security implications. When Buller presented his results last week at an international biodefense conference, it prompted debate.

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printed from U.S. Research Team created genetically engineered Mousepox on 2004-05-01 00:12:53