A Regina comic book store is having a hard time meeting consumer demand for gonorrhea — that is, a cuddly, plush version of the bacterium that causes the disease.
Greg Roch, of Comic Readers, says he's sold hundreds of the stuffed toy microbes this year.
"I'm sold out of a lot of them right now because it's Christmas, of course," he said. "But the clap, a.k.a. gonorrhea, is always a favourite. It's a little blue guy with one big beady eye. He's rather disgusting looking, even though he's plush and cuddly."
The series of toys produced by Giantmicrobes, a Delaware-based company, which also includes the ebola virus, fat cells, and polio, are usually given as gag gifts, Roch said.
"Usually it's humorous, for sure. Or, like, 'I always wanted to give my boyfriend gonorrhea.' That kind of thing," he said, noting the toys are also popular with doctors and nurses.
But Cory Ziegler, who teaches biology to Grade 11 and Grade 12 students said the plush toys may also be helpful in the classroom.
"Some of the stuff, it's, it's tough because I noticed the viruses have little eyes and there's some debate about whether these creatures are even alive — so I'd have to think about it," he said.
"But as far as STI's [sexually transmitted infections] and stuff like that, I think it would be a very interesting way to teach that aspect of a course."
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