Scientists are ready to pay you thousands of dollars if you agree to catch pertussis

Researchers at the University of Southampton have an unusual proposal for you: intentionally get pertussis and get for it £ 3526 (more than $ 3800), and all this in the name of science.

Requirements for the participants of the experiment: age 18-45 years, non-smokers, with good health. In addition, you must agree to live in the detention center for 17 days.

The aim of the study is to improve pertussis vaccines. Pertussis is an infection of the respiratory tract caused by a bacterium called Bordetella pertussis. The disease can quickly spread from one person to another. Especially it is dangerous for children and babies.

Features of the study

Scientists plan to infect healthy participants with pertussis-relieved pertussis and monitor their condition. It is expected that some volunteers will fall ill, but researchers are particularly interested in those on which the bacterium does not work, because it is their immunity that they are going to study. These lucky people, most likely, have a natural immunity to infectious diseases or are carriers of a virus that they do not manifest.

According to the head of the group Robert Reed, director of the Southampton Research Biomedical Center, scientists want to know what these people are special about. They are going to attract 35 volunteers to the study, which will allow them to deliberately infect themselves with whooping cough. Then they will spend 17 days in the prison, where they will have to undergo several minor procedures, such as nasal and pharyngeal swabs.

But let them not be afraid of the need to be in the prison. Each volunteer will have a separate room with access to the recreation area, as well as food, drinks and entertainment.

Symptoms in adults

Also, you should know what the consequences of infection may be. Fortunately, the symptoms in adults are relatively mild. If you are not one of the few lucky ones who are immune, you will probably experience symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, runny nose and low fever. In addition, some people may develop diarrhea.

Some statistics

Actually whooping cough becomes dangerous if the infection gets into the baby's body. Throughout the world, the disease kills thousands of children a year. In 2015, for example, 89 thousand deaths were registered as a result of the disease, according to the estimates of the World Health Organization.

Of course, at the end of the test, the researchers will give the participants of the experiment antibiotics to purify their body of the infection.

This study is part of a £ 24 million project, which is partly funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.