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Bug-borne Vaccine Delivery System

Get nasty biting/stinging bugs to do something useful
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Fellow half-bakerists, good evening. As I speak to this great nation of ours that is the Half-Bakery, I sit here wounded, lanced, skewered by a mosquito, right on the bum, and it made me think: why not get those little critters to be a bit more symbiotic? Here's the current deal: I get stung by a mosquito, mosquito gets fed, I get a sore bum. No wonder we hate them. Ah, but imagine my joy if I knew that every time I was bitten by a mosquito, I got a free vaccination? Think of the possibilities: millions of people need injections every year, many people are terrified of needles. Most people don't even notice a mozzy bite until after it's done.

In some places of course, bug bites can be very serious. Mosquitoes, ticks and the like carry dangerous diseases. Why not get the carriers to carry something more useful?

The vaccine might be gene-spliced into the DNA of mosquito saliva, or the anti-coagulant element of the injected fluids, such that it is introduced at very low levels, safe enough for human immune systems to deal with it and thus provide a vaccination.

For 'developed' countries, no more tedious trips to get pre-holiday shots. For developing countries, no more long queues for vital injections. As long as there is a ready supply of biting bugs, the problem is covered. Finally, Scotland could find a valid purpose for midges.

OK so maybe it might require a bit of buggy genetic engineering, which some people might object to, but imagine what could be achieved if we had mosquitoes that could deliver a vaccine against, well, you name it; Tuberculosis, Ebola, Malaria, Measles... I've not heard of this being done and can't find anything on the interworld about it.

I do apologise for this not being the most amusing item the half- bakery has ever produced. However I feel that here is an idea that I have most carefully half-baked in mine own uninformed mind, and if we can find someone(s) with the requisite nollidge base, it could actually go some way towards raising our profile to new levels of half-assed noodling with forces beyond our control, or at least, intellect, to that with which we can become a respected force for good in the world.

We are the ideas people, people. Let those of deeper thought take our demented musings from here, thence to make the world the better place we crave, with justice, auspice, lettuce and more Smarties for all. Please add your own nuggets, currants and bits of orange peel to enhance the furtherance of this, my most secondary of offerings, wot I offer up to thee. In anticipation, I thank you.

Notes, Feb 03 2017

http://www.sciencem...-flying-vaccinators [2 fries shy of a happy meal, Feb 03 2017]

Not a bad idea if I say so myself. GM_20Vaccinating_20Mosquitos
great minds and all that. [Loris, Feb 03 2017]


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Annotation:







       Well written, thoughtful, controversial... I give it a solid seven or eight out of ten.   

       Oh, and [link]   

       I should have guessed that some cleverer HBs than me would have already thunk of this, ah well. I did search for similar HB ideas before I posted, but nothing showed up.   

       Considering it was first posited in 2001, then resuscitated six years ago (!), perhaps it was due for a revival. There do seem to be a lot of ideas round hitherparts that don't get enough airtime...   

       2fries: it's interesting to see that the Science article you posted was created ten years after HBist Rayford Steele originally suggested it. I feel that, once vaccinated, further vaccinations should not matter, especially at the tiny dosages in use - but I'm not an expert.   

       Loris: At least we are of one mind in thinking there is mileage in this idea.   

       Thanks for your interest chaps.
Notes, Feb 07 2017
  


 

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