Weak answer, maybe, but doubtful the animal rights people would have listened even if he'd said they had said dick-rot virus. "He's just trying to deter us", they would have said. Also, I doubt the scientist exactly had a script prepared for when Greenpeace kick in the door, and so when they did, he was just being honest, in his panic.

I have a very logical answer for ya Rage!

That was a pretty weak answer he gave them. Lol To make them really stop, he should have said something like, "NO STOP! They're infected with an unknown disease that'll make your private parts rot off and explode into a bloody, puss-filled mass causing you to puke all your blood out and fart out your insides, pee acid from your eyes and DIE excruciatingly the moment you touch them!" xD
Instead"rage." lol