She blinded me with science.
That’s pretty amazing and clever. I’ve seen some other mosquito work where they basically have a genetic modification that makes the next generation sterile or something like that (I believe it’s CRSPR tech). Mosquitos are the most dangerous animal on earth, killing 1M a year (but mostly Malaria). Interesting approach to cut off the disease at the source rather than vaccinate (which it points out the issues with that). Hope mRNA can be used for Malaria vaccines.
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I spoke to someone today at work from the Philippines that caught Dengue fever. He was in the hospital for a week with severe headaches. I guess the real danger is it reduces your blood platelets to a level where you can easily bleed out if your not careful. They wouldn’t allow him to brush his teeth for fear his gums would bleed and they wouldn’t be able to stop it.
While they are a pest and can carry disease, they also are a key low rung part of the food chain. Wiping them out would have unintended consequences.
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It’s other nickname is breakbone fever. I read a book about the Bataan Death March before on of my trips to the Philippines, and the accounts of it haunted me.
Dengue fever ain’t nothing to mess with. I’ve had it and it saps your will to live.
Mrs CCU had a mesh shunt put in her heart a few years ago too. So I asked her about the mosquitos. She doesn’t remember noticing more or less bites. For the 1st few months after the installation of the mesh she was on several meds that she’s not on now, perhaps the meds made a difference for your SiL.
Another way to minimize skeeter bites, take high doses of prednisone, for a long period of time. I’ve noticed a drop off since I’m back on prednisone for a UC flair up that just won’t go away. The fewer bites and less allergies are nice side effects to the prednisone, otherwise I don’t recommend it.
Prednisone has become a dirty word in my house but that’s an interesting observation.
Prednisone is far from my favorite thing to take. But it has it’s uses; just be aware of the side effects-- the good and the bad.
Discussing that moves into the realm of wondering what the Almighty had in mind.
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