Comments on: Viruses That Make Zombies and Vaccines

By: Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor — Sat, 11 May 2013 04:32:36 +0000

My concern is, what happens if it some how mutates? Most times they test it on rats/mice since most times our brain/body has a good chance of reacting the same. What if it all goes wrong? What if it mutates so bad that it turns it’s test subjects into mindless flesh eating freaks? It only takes one mutated strand to infect. I know they have expierence in what they are doing but if something does go wrong, look at the mutation rate. Turning caterpillars into “zombies” is extremely odd/rare. Just a thought, I love to play devils advocate sometimes. Plus since I am all about zombies this is a real virus that could go haywire if not properly tested. :\

By: Larry

Larry — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 22:09:57 +0000

Give it a decade or so and we’ll start to see insect viruses crossing to infect humans. Kids playing with worms will start getting really ill from Metarhizium anisopliae.

By: James

James — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:40:30 +0000

“Farmers can now use baculoviruses as a pesticide, for example.” I thought the baculovirus made the caterpillars ravenous, devouring more than usual to feed their virus, so would a baculovirus pesticide not be adding to the problem?

[CZ: Whatever temporary increase in the food they eat is offset by their early death and their inability to reproduce.]

By: Prasdianto

Prasdianto — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:39:09 +0000

The basic “cut & paste” mechanisms on genetic engineering are already understood. How Baculoviruses turn caterpillar into feeding frenzy zombie, was also already on papers. The interesting part is how they connect the ideas. Bottom line? Hijacking mechanism of hijackers.

By: Elizabeth Mabugay

Elizabeth Mabugay — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 12:24:57 +0000

‘Evolve’, we also must, if we are to win the fight against infectious diseases. Nature beckons us to look closely and explore its riches for antiviral arsenals. That’s how it always works: either the viruses outwit us or we outdo them. Nature, in many studies of drug-discovery, has always been a strong ally.

By: J.J.Brown

J.J.Brown — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 01:18:44 +0000

While insect cell lines for expression of genes and production of protein is not new, the success for flu vaccine is remarkable. If effective enough, this can move production away from eggs, a win for all.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 23:31:08 +0000

This is far from new technology. Scientists have been using multiple expression systems for years, insect cell lines, mammalian cell lines, yeast, plants, bacteria, fungi. The impressive part is the fact that the FDA have approved it, not an easy task to get that approved.

By: O. Pagan

O. Pagan — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 20:39:36 +0000

“It’s an important lesson in how to find new ideas in biotechnology: first, leave biologists free to explore the weirdest corners of nature they can find.”
Amen!!!!