[extropy-chat] Mosquito Immune System Recruited in Fight against Malaria

Giu1i0 Pri5c0 gpmap at runbox.com
Fri Mar 26 07:21:18 UTC 2004


>From the New Scientist: "Groundbreaking" new approaches to stopping
mosquitoes spreading the malaria parasite have been discovered by gene
researchers. The scientists identified three mosquito genes that dictate
whether Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite which causes malaria, can
survive and grow in the insect gut. The discoveries have raised new
possibilities for stopping mosquitoes from spreading the parasite. For
example, genetically engineering mosquitoes with extra genes to attack the
parasites, or lacking the genes that protect them, could help. The best
route may be to develop chemicals that can be delivered like pesticides.
>From Scientific American: These studies are the first to show the power of
the mosquito's immune system and give us some very real options for fighting
the disease in the insect before it even has a chance to be passed to a
human. The findings give cause for optimism that new methods of malaria
control through blocking transmission in the mosquito vector will be
possible.

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