Genetically modified fungus could fight malaria

[The Northerner]

LONDON – In a cramped London laboratory filled with test tubes, bacteria and mosquitoes, scientists are trying to engineer a new weapon in the battle against malaria: a mutant fungus.

For years, Angray Kang at Westminster University and colleagues have been testing whether they could genetically tweak a fungus to kill the malaria parasite carried by mosquitoes.

Now they've found that in lab experiments, mosquitoes exposed to the fungus show a sharp drop in levels of the parasite. If it works that way in the wild, that should make it harder for the disease to infect people.

Kang said the mutant fungus could be sprayed onto walls and bednets like insecticides and could be made for a comparable cost.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110407/ap_on_sc/eu_med_mutant_malaria_fungus

[dipsydoodle]

1. Be a great thing for Africa.

Just need to keep the drug companies away from it.

:thumbsup:

[WatsonT]

2. But does it cause autism?