The vector of malaria – a female Anopheles albimanus mosquito – feeds on a human host.
Credit: Wikimedia
TOKYO: Japanese researchers are genetically modifying mosquitoes - vectors of many diseases including deadly malaria - so that they are carriers of a vaccine that could instead inoculate millions for free.
A new study shows that it is possible to achieve this, showing real promise for turning the reviled insects into heroes by genetically modifying them to make them "flying vaccinators", according to scientists at Jichi Medical University north of Tokyo.
The researchers have already genetically modified a mosquito species so that its saliva contains a protein that acts as a vaccine against leishmaniasis, a sandfly-borne disease that triggers terrible skin sores and can be fatal.
Technique worked in mice
The team confirmed that mice bitten by the transgenic mosquito developed an antibody to the disease, meaning they had built up immunity, said Shigeto Yoshida, the associate professor who has led the research.
Similarly the mosquitoes could be used to help combat malaria, perhaps a decade from now, said the malaria expert.
"What's good is that they don't charge you for vaccinations," Yoshida joked.
Get vaccinated without noticing
"You would be vaccinated without even noticing. You wouldn't need any drug and you wouldn't need to show up at a designated place for mass vaccinations."
Repeat bites would only strengthen the immunity, he said.
For now a problem is that no effective vaccine exists, because malaria's antigen, which triggers immune reactions, changes frequently.
However, Yoshida expects science will come up with a solution, and that the transgenic mosquito will ultimately help rid the developing world of a deadly scourge.
Nearly one million people die each year from malaria - most of them children - predominantly in Africa and Asia, according to the World Health Organization.
Irresponsible death control
On the surface of it it sounds like a great step forward for humanity, riding us of the "scourge" of for example malaria.
But what of the consequences of the population explosion?
It sounds hard, but as the article points out many families in Africa barely scrape through as it is.It will take generations before,(if ever)to educate the average African family (who,1) view their children as their 'old age pension' and 2)expect a 'high' death rate from indigenous diseases.
DO NOT PLAY WITH NATURE WITH HALF BAKED KNOWLEDGE.
I would advise not to go for such experimentation without knowing the consequences of overdose.
Flying vaccinators
Have these brilliant minds thought a little deeper to ponder the fact that this genetically altered substance to combat a particular disease might then mutate further with contamination and transform the saviour bee into a flying doomsday bomb?
By the same logic mosquitos
By the same logic mosquitos could be modified to transfer not just vaccins...
Mosquitoes: flying vaccinators of the future?
Someone once observed that "You can never do just one thing"; the role of unintended consequences forever lurks around the corner. The mesh of living organisms is far too complex for us to analyze more than one or two nodes beyond our "innocuous act". On the surface, this idea sounds just marvelous and as someone mentioned above, perhaps we can make the mosquito do whatever we want it to do. However, once released into the wild, we lose control over it. If it goes astray - and it probably will - all we can do is hope is doesn't return as a pathogen against which we have absolutely no defense.
My vote is No.
Gerry, Ottawa
Genius!
This is genius! This method could completely rid us of mosquito-borne diseases. I also found Mosquito Magnet traps, which employ a clever method as well. They use CO2 to lure mosquitoes into a trap, since they think it's human breath. I’ve read they are really effective.