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.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA. rjeisen@cdc.gov
Rebecca J
RJ
Eisen
Jeannine M
JM
Petersen
Charles L
CL
Higgins
David
D
Wong
Craig E
CE
Levy
Paul S
PS
Mead
Martin E
ME
Schriefer
Kevin S
KS
Griffith
Kenneth L
KL
Gage
C Ben
CB
Beard
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