Fighting Malaria with GM Mosquitoes

gregornot

Namaste ,

Here is an NY Times article on Fighting Malaria with GM Mosquitoes
March 20, 2007, 4:56 pm
Fighting Malaria with GM Mosquitoes
http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/...gm-mosquitoes/

By John Tierney

Tags: Africa, Genetic engineering, malaria, mosquito

A transgenic malaria-resistant mosquito (shown) with green fluorescent eyes, and a non-transgenic mosquito , with no eye fluorescence.The mosquito with green fluorescent eyes, at left, has been modified with a gene making it resistant to the malaria parasite, unlike the natural mosquito.


Scientists have built a better mosquito: one that doesn’t spread malaria. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that these genetically modified mosquitoes, which are resistant to the malaria parasite in mice, gradually replaced other mosquitoes when they both fed on infected mice.

“This was proof of principle,” one of the researchers, Jason L. Rasgon, told the AP. The next step is to build a mosquito resistant to the malaria parasite in humans (which differs from the one in mice). If those mosquitoes are successfully developed, they could be tested in the field.

But should they be? After the debate here in the Lab on the general issues of genetic engineering, here’s a more specific question: Assuming scientists can build the new mosquitoes, should these genetically modified creatures be introduced in Africa, where most victims of malaria live?
********

I am not a big fan of Genetic engineering as we can't tell what the long term effects will be, but at least more science is being used in the fight against Malaria.

Side of effects of some malaria meds are a real pain and I know that there are several meds on the market.

When I was in India in Jan 2007 for the Ardh Kumbh Mela in
Allahabad, India. While I was in Varanasi, the hotel (Clarks Varanasi)doctor me that I did not need to take ant meds at all! I followed his advice and luckily had no problems.

But I sure would not to get Malaria, so I would consult a doctor before leaving and see which meds are good for you. You can get meds from any chemist in India, but IMHO it is not good to go with out them, but each to their own. But Malaria is a bad disease to get.

Stay well, consult a doctor, ask questions on IM for Med advice, but rely on a actual Doctor

Stay Healthy, Enjoy your visit and send a report back to IM,please. Thanks,gregor

__________________

"If the roots remain untouched and firm in the ground,
a felled tree still puts forth new shoots.

If the underlying habit of craving and aversion is not
uprooted, suffering arises anew over and over again."

ba9rn

Nice idea (which has been studied for many years), but it will be tens of years (if ever) before they release any of these 'hybrids'.

Here's a video of the BBC report.

__________________
"After the battle, many new ghosts cry. The solitary old man murmurs in his grief." Du Fu

Digital Drifter

The malaria vector uses mosquitos because there is a particular gene sequence which helps it lodge "in" the mosquito. Apparently the scientist are going to make that difficult.

Leaving aside the moral and ethical issue, the question which bug scientists is this;

Suppose the GM mosquito is successful and native species are run out. No one knows whether the GM mosquito is susceptible to a different disease vector which will spread like malaria before. They're afraid that a known disease is going to be replaced with a new vector on a potentially stronger "version" of the mosquito.

__________________
Click here for the Indiamike train guide in PDF

capt_mahajan

offtopic,

GM humans next, teflon coated.
colours optional. batteries not included.