Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026

'Bioluminescent' Reporter Phage for the Detection of Category A Bacterial Pathogens
Published on: July 8, 2011
The plague of Athens: an ancient act of bioterrorism?
Abstract:
Recent data implicate Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi as a causative pathogen of the Plague of Athens during the Peloponnesian War (430-426 bc). According to Thucydides, the sudden outbreak of the disease may link to poisoning of the water reservoirs by the Spartans. The siege of a city was aimed at exhausting the supplies of a population, which often led to the outbreak and spread of epidemics. Poisoning of the water reservoirs of a besieged city as an act of bioterrorism would probably shorten the necessary time for such conditions to appear.
Related Concept Videos
Bacterial Toxins
Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages
Bacterial Phylum Spirochaetes
Infection
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
Ethics in Research
Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

