One of those things that would have been interesting to have much earlier in the debate season, Paul Ewald talks about the domestication of germs. How it's possible in a relatively short time frame to manipulate the virulence of some diseases by manipulating the means in which it can be transmitted. For example, making Malaria less virulent and less resistant to anti-malarial drugs by mosquito proofing homes.
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/259
Further information on evolutionary domestication of diseases (Malaria specifically):
http://memorias.ioc.fiocruz.br/935/24mvt.html - About the Tennessee Valley Authority mosquito-proofing houses around the 1930's and 40's when it build dams to provide hydroelectric power which caused Malaria outbreaks.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
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