Persistence of Yersinia pestis in soil under natural conditions.
As part of a fatal human plague case investigation, we showed that the plague bacterium, Yersinia pestis, can survive for at least 24 days in contaminated soil under natural conditions. These results have implications for defining plague foci, persistence, transmission, and bioremediation after a natural or intentional exposure to Y. pestis.
Eisen
Rebecca J
RJ
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA. rjeisen@cdc.gov
Petersen
Jeannine M
JM
Higgins
Charles L
CL
Wong
David
D
Levy
Craig E
CE
Mead
Paul S
PS
Schriefer
Martin E
ME
Griffith
Kevin S
KS
Gage
Kenneth L
KL
Beard
C Ben
CB
D000818:Animals; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008045:Lions / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D050296:Microbial Viability; D010930:Plague / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000662:veterinary; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013997:Time Factors; D015010:Yersinia pestis / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity
D012987:Soil