Scientists have created a new form of vaccination in Japan. The malaria vaccine could now be administered by a mosquito.
Malaria is transmitted by mosquito bites and is a disease which causes approximately two million deaths a year worldwide, mostly in Africa. Researchers had the idea to transform the cause of disease into the cure.
Mosquitoes are transformed into flying vaccinators with a genetic manipulation. Their salivary glands contain a protein effective in helping the human body fight disease. So, after a mosquito bite, the mosquito’s saliva spreads into the bloodstream and triggers an immune system response similar to what occurs when we receive a conventional vaccine.
The vaccine is free and less painful than traditional vaccines.
But this is one vaccination program that will never fly. There are a few reasons why this can never be used on humans. 1. People have to give their consent to be vaccinated. 2. The dose each person received would not be the same. As molecular biologist Robert Sinden of Imperial College London says, "No regulatory agency would sign off on that."