Skeeters finally prove their worth

[ross2287]

 

[ross2287]

Doug had some good music. Seriously.

 

[The Battousai]

Every species has a niche, and it's been shown that many insects are vectors for disease, and simply because the females are the only ones who drink blood is no reason to assume that a mosquitoes "purpose" isn't to help spread disease, since you do need males to help make more females.

They have just as much of a "purpose" to become food for other organisms.

I never said that disease-carriers would disappear or thin out because of this, simply that, as with all vaccines, the disease will lose it's potency and, if the mosquito has the purpose of disease spreading vector, having the disease be less potent also decreases the mosquitoes role in population control (something our overpopulated species needs desperately).

How would it become less potent?

Finally, I find this idea to be very risky. Who's to say what side-effects this study will have, as they are modifying the malaria to serve as a vaccine of sorts.

Every vaccine has the same hazards.

I wouldn't assume they "called it a day" for this research.

 

[SuperFerret]

They have just as much of a "purpose" to become food for other organisms.

Obviously, as all organisms are eaten by other organisms eventually.

How would it become less potent?

Less deaths from a disease equals less potency. The black plague killed millions in Europe in the 1400's, now it's curable, thus the plague isn't as potent a disease.

Every vaccine has the same hazards.

I wouldn't assume they "called it a day" for this research.

I doubt they've stopped either, but all it takes is a mutation in the strain they're using and a single mosquito carrying that strain escaping and biting someone to unleash a new strain of malaria on the world. Mosquitoes, like most non-human animals, aren't easily controlled by people, and are unpredictable. I feel that this is an unnecessary risks.

 

[E-Man]

 

[The Battousai]

[YT]fCDMeL32JoU[/YT]

 

[The Battousai]

Obviously, as all organisms are eaten by other organisms eventually.

Point being that "purpose" isn't the right word.

Less deaths from a disease equals less potency. The black plague killed millions in Europe in the 1400's, now it's curable, thus the plague isn't as potent a disease.

It appears I was thinking of the more specific definition of "potent" while you have been using the wider, more general one. My bad

I doubt they've stopped either, but all it takes is a mutation in the strain they're using and a single mosquito carrying that strain escaping and biting someone to unleash a new strain of malaria on the world.

This is no different than the introduction of new strains in nature without human involvement.

Mosquitoes, like most non-human animals, aren't easily controlled by people, and are unpredictable. I feel that this is an unnecessary risks.

These risks exist in the development of vaccines in general. The question is whether or not the risks outweigh the potential good. They certainly need to do more research to attain such an understanding.

 

[E-Man]

"You got the juice now Battousai."

 

[The Battousai]