Searching for! People Who Want to Get Infected with Pertussis Bacteria and Paid IDR 60 Million

Are you interested in getting pertussis bacteria for IDR 60 million? (Photo: Thinkstock)

For the sake of the name of science, a group of researchers from Southampton University are looking for healthy people who are willing to be infected with pertussis bacteria or also known whooping cough. The researchers prepared a compensation of about IDR 60 million for anyone who wanted.

Study leader Prof. Robert Read said he and his team are doing this experiment because they want to know why anyone can be resistant to pertussis. Some of the volunteers are likely to fall ill, but it is expected that some will be immune even if they have never been immunized and immune but still can spread their bacteria to others (silent carrier).

Pertussis itself is a disease caused by bacteria Bordetella pertussis. In adults, pertussis infection can cause long-lasting coughing symptoms for months. While in infectious children can be more dangerous cause death because the child can choke breathing difficulties.

"We want to know what's so special about these people (the immune-ed), and why we can not make people into silent carriers," Prof Robert said as quoted by the BBC on Tuesday (6/20/2010) .

Later the volunteers who are willing to be infected will be moved to a special isolation place for 17 days. Each volunteer will have his own private space that has complete facilities ranging from bathroom access, recreation room, snack, to access to various types of food and beverages.

The team of doctors will monitor the condition of taking samples of mucus volunteers on a regular basis. "This may be a bit uncomfortable, but it should not be painful or risky for you," the researcher wrote in a volunteer registration letter.

Prof Robert said the experiment was well thought out so it was safe and ethical. Each volunteer at the end of the study will be given antibiotics until completely clean of the bacteria and can stop giving up in the middle of the experiment if you wish.