Who would have thought it? A cuddly toy in the shape of a virus! These cuddly characters are incredibly endearing and educational too. Each one comes with a detailed scientific description and photograph of what he looks like under the microscope, along with medical tips on how to avoid picking up these bugs in daily life. Children seem to be totally fascinated by them, and it really helps when explaining all about why they are feeling poorly. The perfect gift to accompany a Get Well card. Also a brilliant present for medical students, doctors and nurses etc. You will soon understand why they are becoming amazingly popular! Start collecting now. Facts: In October 1347, the Black Death (then called the Pestilence) arrived in the city of Messina in Sicily. The Plague, which had been raging in Asia had followed the trade routes and stowed away on ships returning from the Black Sea. By 1352, 25 million or a third of Europe's population were dead. This was at least the second instance of a cataclysmic plague striking Europe. In 542AD, the plague ravished the Roman Empire of Justinian (and the plague may have been responsible for devastating Athens in 430BC.) During yet another wave of plague in 1894 in Asia, Swiss French bacteriologist named Alexandre Yersin discovered that the Yersinia Pestis bacterium was the devil behind it. (Although some question whether this bacterium was responsible for the Medieval Black Death the spread of which was uncommonly rapid) the consensus is to favour Yersin. The plague has not been eradicated. But outbreaks today are few and isolated. In addition, there are readily available treatments, including antibiotics Tetracycline (commonly prescribed to teenagers with severe acne.) Nevertheless, it is always possible that antibiotic resistant strains could one day become prevalent and that history could repeat itself again.