Geese may be the key to treating many diseases

UNDATED (NBC) -- Researchers have discovered that geese could hold the key to treating everything from malaria to rabies.

It turns out a deadly disease that is carried by birds may actually be cured with the help of another bird.

Researchers are anxious to find a cure for the West Nile Virus and a study involving geese is the most promising yet.

Researchers found that geese can rapidly produce the antibodies needed to create serums to treat people for West Nile disease.

But, even more amazing, researchers found that geese can be used to produce serums to treat all kinds of diseases.

"We have gone into researching its use of their antibodies for Dengue fever, for pandemic influenza, malaria, rabies. We're also working with a group that I can't really identify on cancer,” said Richard Glynn, a researcher at Avianix.

Researchers introduce the dead virus of any given disease to a goose. The goose quickly produces an antibody to that disease, which is extracted from its egg yolk and used to create the serum to treat that disease.

"What's really exciting about this is the goose provides a platform and produces antibodies rapidly to a variety of viruses, probably toxins, maybe even cancers,” said David Bradley, a medical student.

It's all amazing, heady stuff that's being reviewed by the F.D.A.

Who knows? We may all find that one day geese are the answer to many of mankind's medical problems.

This research is still in the early stages. The F.D.A. has not yet approved it for human use. There is another reason the government is eyeing this so closely. This could be a way to rapidly develop vaccines for other biological threats.