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Engineering Mosquitos to Prevent Disease
You probably agree with the saying, the bee is praised, the mosquito is swatted because they're vectors for some nasty viruses. Mosquitos can spread Zika, dengue, West Nile, Eastern Equine Encephalitis and malaria which is a major killer around the world.
That's why for years scientists have been developing a genetically modified or GM mosquito to reduce the numbers of those in the wild. And no, they're not made to kill. Instead, these modified male mosquitos use 'love' to get the job done. They mate with wild females and produce only male offspring that do not bite but feed on nectar instead.
In August of twenty-twenty, three quarters of a billion GM Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were released in the Florida Keys, the first field test done in the US. But they've actually been tested since two thousand nine. In Grand Cayman, over three million were released. They survived, mated with wild females, and after three months, the mosquito population fell by eighty percent. Field tests in Brazil were as effective and the World Health Organization supports using GM mosquitos to control the Zika virus.
Even though the Florida project has been reviewed by federal and local agencies, some Floridians don't want GM mosquitos in their state worried this 'Jurassic Park' experiment could go awry. It's normal to be skeptical of new technologies, but this may prove to be a valuable weapon against deadly viruses that shouldn't be allowed to get a free ride any longer.
More Information
OXITEC'S Friendly Mosquito Technology Receives US EPA Approval for Pilot Projects in US
Thr U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted Oxitec an Experimental Use Permit (EUP) for piloting its 2nd generation Friendly' Aedes aegypti mosquito technology, the result of an in-depth and rigorous scientific review process that included technical support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and an expansive assessment of the technology and its safety relating to humans and the environment...
Why Hundreds of Millions of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes Will Soon Be Released in Florida
The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) approved plans to release genetically engineered mosquitos, who do not bite, as part of a pilot project launching this year. Precisely when and where the trial will happen in Monroe County is yet to be determined, the FKMCD said, but an experimental use permit expires in 2022...
Five Things to Know about Genetically Modified (GM) Insects for Vector Control
Vector-borne diseases cause immense suffering and economic damage. Vector control remains a key element of mitigation andcontrol strategies, particularly for pathogens such as dengueviruses for which there are no specific drugs or vaccines. Yet existing vector control tools are limited; toxic chemicals are the mainstay but difficult to deliver due to vector behaviour, emerging resistance, and/or environmental concerns. Genetically modified vectors'presently only mosquitoes'offer complementary new approaches to integrate with the best existing methods...
