Parachuting cats and crushed eggs the controversy over the use of DDT to control malaria

Malaria & mRNA Vaccines: A Possible Salvation from One of the Most Relevant Infectious Diseases of the Global South

Malaria is one of the most dangerous infectious diseases in the world. It occurs in tropical and subtropical regions and affects about 40% of the world´s population. In endemic regions, an estimated 200 million people contract malaria each year. Three-quarters of all global deaths (about 600 per year) are children under 5 years of age. Thus, malaria is one of the most relevant tropical and also childhood diseases in the world. Thanks to various public health measures such as vector control through mosquito nets or the targeted use of insecticides as well as the use of antimalarial prophylaxis drugs, the incidence has already been successfully reduced in recent years. However, to reduce the risk of malaria and to protect children effectively, further measures are necessary. An important part of these measures is an effective vaccination against malaria. However, the history of research shows that the development of an effective malaria vaccine is not an easy undertaking and is associated with some complications. Research into possible vaccines began as early as the 1960s. However, the results achieved were rather sobering and the various vaccines fell short of their expectations. It was not until 2015 that the vaccine RTS,S/AS01 received a positive evaluation from the European Medicines Agency. Since then, the vaccine has been tested in Africa. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, there are new developments in vaccine research that could also benefit malaria research. These include, among others, the so-called mRNA vaccines. Already in the early 1990s, an immune response triggered by an mRNA vaccine was described for the first time. Since then, mRNA vaccines have been researched and discussed for possible prophylaxis. However, it was not until the COVID-19 pandemic that these vaccines experienced a veritable progress. mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 were rapidly developed and achieved high efficacy in studies. Based on this success, it is not surprising that companies are also focusing on other diseases and pathogens. Besides viral diseases, such as influenza or AIDS, malaria is high on this list. Many pharmaceutical companies (including the German companies BioNTech and CureVac) have already confirmed that they are researching mRNA vaccines against malaria. However, this is not an easy task. The aim of this article is to describe and discuss possible antigens that could be considered for mRNA vaccination. However, this topic is currently still very speculative.

Do good carefully: The long-term effects of low-dose DDT exposure in early childhood on education, marriage and employment

It is well known that malaria has serious adverse effects on humans. Yet, little is known as to how dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), which is still used to control malaria, may affect human socioeconomic outcomes in the long run. Utilizing the large-scale indoor residual spraying of low-dose DDT in Taiwan in the 1950s, we estimated the long-term effects of low-dose DDT exposure in early childhood on education, marriage and employment in adulthood. Our identification hinges on the unexpected extension of DDT spraying after malaria had already been largely brought under control. We found that even at a very low dosage, DDT exposure still resulted in discernible negative effects on education and marriage. For employment, although no effect on the probability of working was detected, people exposed to more sprayings in childhood were more likely to work in the agricultural sector that typically requires less human capital.

Envisioning Complex Futures: Collective Narratives and Reasoning in Deliberations over Gene Editing in the Wild

The development of technologies for gene editing in the wild has the potential to generate tremendous benefit, but also raises important concerns. Using some form of public deliberation to inform decisions about the use of these technologies is appealing, but public deliberation about them will tend to fall back on various forms of heuristics to account for limited personal experience with these technologies. Deliberations are likely to involve narrative reasoning-or reasoning embedded within stories. These are used to help people discuss risks, processes, and fears that are otherwise difficult to convey. In this article, we identify three forms of collective narrative that are particularly relevant to debates about modifying genes in the wild. Our purpose is not to privilege any particular narrative, but to encourage people involved in deliberations to make these narratives transparent. Doing so can help guard against the way some narratives-referred to here as "crafted narratives"-may be manipulated by powerful elites and concentrated economic interests for their own strategic ends.

Interactive learning and action: realizing the promise of synthetic biology for global health

The emerging field of synthetic biology has the potential to improve global health. For example, synthetic biology could contribute to efforts at vaccine development in a context in which vaccines and immunization have been identified by the international community as being crucial to international development efforts and, in particular, the millennium development goals. However, past experience with innovations shows that realizing a technology's potential can be difficult and complex. To achieve better societal embedding of synthetic biology and to make sure it reaches its potential, science and technology development should be made more inclusive and interactive. Responsible research and innovation is based on the premise that a broad range of stakeholders with different views, needs and ideas should have a voice in the technological development and deployment process. The interactive learning and action (ILA) approach has been developed as a methodology to bring societal stakeholders into a science and technology development process. This paper proposes an ILA in five phases for an international effort, with national case studies, to develop socially robust applications of synthetic biology for global health, based on the example of vaccine development. The design is based on results of a recently initiated ILA project on synthetic biology; results from other interactive initiatives described in the literature; and examples of possible applications of synthetic biology for global health that are currently being developed.

The historical, present, and future role of veterinarians in One Health

The renewed interest in the concept of One Health has occurred as a result of the increased emergence of zoonotic infectious diseases over the past decade. The subsequent impacts of these diseases on human, livestock, and wildlife health, as well as the economic effects, have given international health organizations and national governments a greater appreciation of the importance of collaborative efforts in solving health problems. The One Health concept is not new, but under its umbrella, a new generation of veterinarians, physicians, ecologists, biologists, and social scientists is shaping the concept in novel ways. This has led to increased support for One Health initiatives to control disease by international agencies, national governments, and nongovernmental organizations as well as a growing emphasis on One Health concepts in training the veterinary workforce. Veterinary schools are reorganizing veterinary education to better teach students the precepts of One Health. This chapter explores the evolution and application of the One Health concept from the perspective of the veterinarian. The veterinary profession is positioned to be a strong advocate and leader of One Health. Veterinarians have a long history of involvement with One Health activities, and this involvement has adjusted and shifted with the changing needs of society. A new area of work for veterinarians is ecosystem health, which is becoming more relevant as a result of the impact that the ever-increasing human population is having on the environment that supports them.