There are two Chinese agriculture research institutions which are currently looking into more than 100 students and staff being infected with the bacterium Brucella. This virus is usually found in farm animals, and for people, it could be fatal.
96 staff and students have tested positive for this infection, info that was recently confirmed. In an official statement, the Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute said that most of these infected people don’t have the signs of brucellosis, which is the illness that causes the bacteria. Among the symptoms for this one, there is fever and pretty much what we would find on the regular flu.
After the outbreak, the Institute has closed its labs. There were also some mice that have tested positive for the infection. Scientists are still looking for the source of the bacteria, and what caused the outbreak.
The most dangerous pathogens are in the Chinese lab
Thirteen students from the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, which is found about 2,600 kilometers to the northeast of Lanzhou, also got the infection. These 13 students were among the 49 students who had worked as interns at the Institute. The Harbin institute is currently investigating the outbreak.
There are various types of Brucella that occurred in mammals, but the infections are found mostly in farm animals, like sheep, goats, pigs, and castles. Humans usually get it from eating undercooked meat or drinking raw milk. However, the bacteria can also enter the body through the skin or through the lungs. They are not transmitted from person to person, but if people leave it untreated, the infection can get to the heart and to the brain, and it can be fatal. This one can also cause infertility in both animals and humans.
