“Yes. You might want to remain seated while you read them.”
He pulled up a chair and passed her the binder.
“Troubling results?”
“I’ll say. Preliminary analysis shows exactly what you suspected. The El Salvador sample bacterium does indeed have a different genetic makeup than Vibrio cholerae O1. DNA analysis shows an additional seventeen gene clusters in the genome structure. At this point, we’re not sure of the significance.”
“Seventeen?” Montgomery said. “That is a notable difference. Likely an isolated mutation, which has reproduced in the El Salvador reservoir.”
Byron gave her a sober stare, then shook his head. “I’m afraid not. The computer found the same, or similar, bacteria in two of the three other water samples you sent down for analysis. In addition, we made a hit on five additional baseline control samples in our database.”
Montgomery nearly popped out of her chair. “What did you say?”
“You gave us suspected pathogen water samples from Cairo, Mumbai, and Haiti. Both Cairo and Mumbai resulted in virtually the same results as your El Salvador specimen. In addition, we found evidence of similar pathogens in water samples we were testing from Karachi, Rio, Paris, Shanghai, and Sydney. Only the sample from Haiti came back different. It contained the classic V. cholerae O1.”
“The rest were the same?” Montgomery asked. “You’re sure about that?”
“Yes. Well, they all have the same structure as the El Salvador sample, except for Paris, Rio, and Sydney. Those samples each showed an additional genetic cluster. Between the samples, it appears to be two totally new serogroups we’ve never seen before.”
“Not one, but two? It can’t be.” Montgomery shook her head. “A new pathogen takes time to spread. Simultaneous appearances across the globe are unheard of, even today.”
“True, but the Cairo, Haiti, and Shanghai water samples are several weeks old.”
Montgomery flipped through the binder, studying the analysis. “I’m not aware of any cholera outbreaks in Paris or Sydney—nor Rio, for that matter.”
Byron shook his head. “Perhaps the added genetic structure has reduced the toxicity.”
“Thank heavens, if so. Still, how did it appear in the public water supplies of Paris and Sydney? Those were treated water samples, weren’t they?”
“Yes, the samples are from the public water system. And your guess is as good as mine.”
Montgomery couldn’t believe what she was hearing. A mutated form of the cholera bacteria seemed to be spreading like a global pandemic, yet without a massive death rate. At least for now. How had the same pathogen spread so quickly? She gazed at Byron and saw from the look on his face that he had more bad news.
“Something else?”
Byron nodded. “Each of the samples, except for Haiti, contained a significant portion of bacterium in a transient hypermutation state.”
Montgomery cringed. All bacteria were capable of mutating into potentially more dangerous forms. Typically, signs of mutation occurred in a very tiny percentage of a bacterium colony. Bacteria in a hypermutation state, however, had upward of a thousand times higher likelihood of successfully mutating.
Montgomery felt like she had taken a blow to the stomach. She gazed at the computer moni
tor with the image of the fuzzy jelly beans.
“You know what this means?” she said in a low voice.
When Byron didn’t respond, Montgomery answered her own question.
“It means we could be facing an entirely unknown catastrophic killer. And we have no clue how to stop it.”
36
What a beautiful view of the lake.”
Loren pulled open a heavy panel of curtains, exposing a southwesterly view down the length of Loch Ness. A group of people paddled kayaks along the near shore, but otherwise the calm surface was empty of boats.
Pitt lifted their luggage onto the porter stands. “This is quite a room. You must rate high on the guest list.”
Though not large, their room was exquisitely decorated with Edwardian antiques. Wood-paneled walls supported oil paintings of hunting scenes and two large beveled mirrors. Across from the picture window and sitting area was an ornate four-poster bed.