With the death toll of the coronavirus on the rise around the world, it appear that the public has taken their eyes off the threat of Mumps, Measles, and Rubella. These three viruses have the potential to wipe out a large portion of the population because those at risk range from newborns to adults (20-35 years of age). However, our biggest concern with these viruses is the genetic alteration of them in the lab. Experts have stated that we need to genetically engineer these viruses so we stay ahead of the curve for vaccine prevention and other therapies. Other sources say that we are always under the threat of biological warfare and being prepared for an unknown variation of a killer virus is our only hope.
In an research article by the American Society of Microbiology titled Recombinant Measles Viruses Efficiently Entering Cells through Targeted Receptors, the author confirm there is now a genetically modified measles virus that can efficiently enter through a cell surface without having to find a receptor. This mean that becoming infected with the measles virus can happen quickly and it won't give your body enough time to detect it to prevent severe illness. On the other side, its justified that this scientific discovery will lead to better vaccines and also a new cancer therapy. Similar genetic engineering is being done to Mumps, Rubella, and the Flu to help with the advancement of medical therapies, according to scientific experts.
Since there is a possibility these viruses can find a way into the public through accidental exposure by lab workers, bioweapons, or a hacker stealing the information to remake this virus in a pop up lab, should the World Health Organization take a deeper look into the need to practice this type of science? Is the practice of genetically engineering viruses part of modern day warfare? We will investigate these questions and hopefully get answers.
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