U.S. Military Ricin Vaccine Protects Mice

A vaccine developed by U.S. military researchers protects mice against the effects of inhaled ricin, which could be used as a biological weapon, according to an article published in this month’s online issue of Protein Engineering, Design and Selection (see GSN, July 7).

The team at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases in Maryland used protein engineering and molecular modeling to prepare the vaccine, which they now plan to test in other animals, Reuters reported.

Made from castor beans, ricin is deadly when made into a fine aerosol, according to Reuters. As it is relatively easy to prepare, the poison is considered a prime choice for a biological weapon.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention places ricin on its “B” list of agents — considered a moderate threat — and it has been found in al-Qaeda caves in Afghanistan, according to Reuters (Reuters/Yahoo!News, Aug. 4).

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