This is not a prison break scheme. I was shocked to hear on BBC that researchers published a study, in the journal Genetic Vaccines and Therapy, about a new route for the delivery of specifically DNA virus vaccinations. Using the vibrating needle, normally used in tattoo parlors, they first experimented with mice & found a 16-fold increase in the humoral & cell-mediated antibody response elicited by these animals compared to the intramuscular injection. The needle implants small DNA fragments into the epidermis, which triggers a non-specific immune response believed to be the reason for the higher antibody levels found despite the lower dose of DNA used.

Flattering as it sounds, a lot of skeptics doubt that it would become a complete replacement of the conventional routes currently in use. It does not come without a cheap price either. Many tattoo lovers loathe the accompanying pain. Plus, potential users won’t be getting a tattoo in the process either because the needle won’t be loaded with ink.

Just truly amazed at whoever first comes up with such ideas and tries putting them to the test.

Image Credit: Enquirer

Tags: DNA, Gene Therapy, immune response, tattoo, vaccine

Did you ever think about only one disease that causes the death of 50 million people? and around a year!!!!

Unfortunately, it already happened between 1918-1919 and is known as Spanish flu.

Flu (influenza) is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses, which are divided into three types A, B and C.

Type A influenza is the most frightening and epidemic.

Type B influenza  causes milder symptoms than type A.

Type C influenza tends to be mild and does not spark epidemics.

Type A flu virus is subdivided into subtypes based on two surface proteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and  neuraminidase (NA).

Now, Scientists know 16 HA subtypes and 9 NA subtypes of the flu virus.

A (H1N1) and A (H3N2) are the  subtypes of influenza A viruses found in people, and there are no subtypes of influenza B virus.

The influenza viruses contain eight segments of single-strand RNA ,  continually change over time through “antigenic drift” or “antigenic shift”.

So, there is new flu vaccine every year and from time to time we face a new flu outbreaks.

Now, there is real fear between scientists and people of transmission of influenza viruses from animals to people.

There is a promising trial of new flu vaccine , targeting the internal proteins of the virus, this vaccine may be used in vaccination of many viruses like flu in mechanism of infection. (you can see BBC report Here).

References :

Flu

What Is Flu?

Types of flu

Influenza virus

History of Flu Epidemics

The Influenza (Flu) Viruses

Types of Influenza Viruses

Flu Virus Can Change: “Drift” and “Shift”

For Further reading

Seasonal Flu

Flu Channel

Cold Channel

Bacterial Pneumonia and 1918 flu

Tags: 1918 flu, antigenic drift, antigenic shift, flu, flu outbreaks, hemagglutinin, influenza, neuraminidase, spanish flu, ssRNA, types of flu, vaccine