The mother of a Russian laboratory technician who died after falling ill while working at an anti-plague research institute has rejected reports that her daughter contracted plague by breaking a test tube containing live bacteria.
Darya Shipilova, 28, died on October 2 after becoming unwell while employed at the Siberian Anti-Plague Research Institute in Irkutsk.
Local officials initially described her death as being linked to plague, but those statements were later withdrawn.
The Kremlin has also rejected claims that a plague case was recorded in Irkutsk, saying Shipilova died from pneumonia of unknown origin.
Family Disputes Test Tube Account
Reports in Russian media suggested Shipilova may have been exposed after accidentally breaking a test tube containing dangerous bacteria.
Her mother, Svetlana Shipilova, who is herself a medical professional, strongly disputed that version of events.
“I don’t want to read nasty things about my child. I know the truth,” she said, adding that she had been forced to correct acquaintances who believed reports about the alleged laboratory accident.
Svetlana also questioned the suggestion that a test tube containing dangerous bacteria could simply be broken during routine laboratory work.
“Not even all medical professionals realise that it’s impossible to break the test tube—even if you hurl it against a wall,” she said.
“Only an amateur would say something like that. Even hypothetically, it’s simply impossible to spill or break it. They are so heavily protected.”
Family Remains Under Quarantine
Shipilova’s mother said the family had been placed under quarantine following her daughter’s death, preventing them from holding a funeral.
“Who is going to bury her if we are sitting here imprisoned?” she said.
She described her daughter as exceptionally hardworking and devoted to her profession.
“She was such a hard worker. A pure, truly pure soul,” Svetlana said.
According to her mother, Shipilova had secured a position at the institute after completing an internship there.
Her supervisor had already observed her work and considered her a particularly dedicated employee.
“It is very difficult to get a job at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute,” Svetlana said.
Protective Teams Disinfect Apartment Building
Shipilova’s death was followed by a major disinfection operation at the two-storey apartment building where she lived in Irkutsk.
Local reports said three vehicles arrived outside the building at about 10pm on the night she died.
Workers wearing orange protective suits and gas masks brought containers into the area before treating both entrances with chemicals.
One resident said the substance had such a strong smell that neighbours had to open doors because they were struggling to breathe.
The workers were reportedly sent by Russia‘s health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor.
According to local accounts, residents were told that a young woman had died from a dangerous infectious disease.
The building was subsequently disinfected twice more.
Russian Authorities Reject Plague Reports
The circumstances surrounding Shipilova’s death have prompted conflicting accounts from Russian authorities and local media.
While initial local statements reportedly attributed the death to plague, those claims were later retracted.
The Kremlin has maintained that no case of the disease had been recorded in Irkutsk and described Shipilova’s cause of death as pneumonia of unknown aetiology.
The World Health Organization had sought clarification from Russia amid reports of another unconfirmed suspected plague case in Siberia.
Plague Remains a Bacterial Disease
Plague is caused by Yersinia pestis, the same bacterium responsible for both bubonic and pneumonic forms of the disease.
Although commonly associated with the Black Death that devastated Europe in the 14th century, plague has continued to occur in parts of the world.
Modern cases can generally be treated with antibiotics when medical care is provided promptly.
The World Health Organization has reported that most human plague cases since the 1990s have occurred in Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar.
In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention records an average of about seven human cases each year, primarily in rural parts of the western country.
Three Forms of Plague
Bubonic plague is the most common form and is typically associated with swollen and painful lymph nodes, known as buboes.
Other symptoms can include sudden fever and chills, headaches, and pain affecting the abdomen and limbs.
Pneumonic plague affects the lungs and can develop through inhalation of the bacteria.
Septicemic plague occurs when the infection enters the bloodstream.
According to the World Health Organization, both pneumonic and septicemic plague can be fatal without early treatment.
Untreated bubonic plague can also progress into pneumonic or septicemic forms.
How Plague Spreads
The bacteria naturally circulate among certain rodents and other small mammals.
Infected fleas can transmit the infection to humans after feeding on infected animals.
People can also become infected through contact with bodily fluids from infected animals or people.
Pneumonic plague has an additional route of transmission because an infected person can spread the bacteria through respiratory droplets.
Dr Glenn Wortmann of MedStar Washington Hospital Center said transmission between people generally requires close contact.
“If you cough, you can spread it to another person, but that doesn’t travel very far,” he said.
“So you really need to be in face-to-face contact with that person to get pneumonic plague.”
Ancient Evidence of Plague in Siberia
Plague has a long history in Siberia, with evidence suggesting that forms of the disease were present in the region thousands of years ago.
Researchers have identified evidence in the teeth of ancient hunter-gatherers who lived north of Lake Baikal, dating back at least 5,500 years.
The historical presence of Yersinia pestis in the region reflects the long-standing relationship between the bacterium, wildlife populations and human communities.
