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Anthrax: Researchers Discover New Details of Anthrax Toxin Researchers at Harvard University and the University of Wisconsin have made a new discovery of an additional way that anthrax toxin enters a cell — a find that could be useful in developing new anthrax treatments, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, March 27). Last year, researchers discovered the first “door” by which anthrax toxin enters a cell, which led to the creation of a decoy substance able to draw the toxin away and prevent cellular damage, AP reported. Scientists have now discovered a second entry point and have created an even more effective decoy, according to research set to be published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “It’s about 25-fold better than the first one we had,” said John Young, who headed the research at the University of Wisconsin Medical School. While the researchers still need to conduct animal testing on their findings, the new decoy could be used as an emergency treatment now in the event of an anthrax outbreak, AP reported. “The hope would be that it would be quick enough to be useful if a need came along like that,” Young said (Associated Press, April 8). For further information, see: CDC Frequently Asked Questions About Anthrax Journal of the American Medical Association Background on Anthrax
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