The Tularemia Vaccine Development Contract is a $24.8 million five-year contract awarded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to Dr. Rick Lyons of the UNM School of Medicine. The goal of the contract is to create and evaluate new tularemia vaccine candidates, leading to the development of a vaccine for tularemia. Dr. Lyons is joined on this contract by scientists from Arizona State University, Cerus Corporation, Lovelace Biomedical & Environmental Research Institute, and the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, is caused by a bacterium called francisella tularensis. The disease is found primarily in rural areas and is commonly seen in small animals. Tularemia can be passed to humans through infected water, soil, food, or by insects who have bitten infected animals. Symptoms include high fever, aches, chills, and swollen lymph glands. Experts regard tularemia as a potential bioterrorist weapon due to the possibility of widespread and serious illness if the disease is aerosolized.
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