Did you ever think there would be a day that you want to be bit by
a blood sucking mosquito? Well that day may be coming. Here is why.
(Compliments of Popular Science Magazine).
They are a delivery system: Scientists have been discussing
ways to use mosquitos as a delivery system for vaccinations directly to people
with little to no expense. Right now, vaccines cost a lot of money to not
only produce, but to store, and then inject into people. By using an
animal based delivery system, it will allow for cheap effective delivery.
But how does it work.
Varying Methods: One method is to place a weaker
form of the disease into the animal (mosquito) for it to infect a person with
so that the body can build up a natural immune response on its own.
Another is to place a bacteria, or special proteins inside the animal
which when delivered to the person will have already attached themselves to the
disease, but because of these bacteria or proteins it will make it easier for
the body to detect and destroy. Finally, you have retro viruses that
boost the immune system, or add another element in the body that will attack
the disease for the body, before the body itself reacts and destroys the
retrovirus. All these are feasible with today's technology and expertise.
Conclusion: This is a very interesting way to
fight off things like malaria, and other pervasive pathogens. It would be
especially effective in Africa to fight off dengue fever and possibly in other
countries to fight off polio and other diseases we have eradicated here in the
United States. So are you willing to be bit?
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