Genetically modified mosquitoes to ward off dengue, zika virus in US
From next year in Florida, millions of genetically modified mosquitoes will be released into the environment to prevent mosquitoes spreading diseases such as dengue fever and zika virus. This week the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District has approved the release of the striped-footed Aedes egypti mosquito into the environment for a pilot project in 2021. Aedes egypti mosquitoes, not originally from Florida, are also known as OX5034. This mosquito transmits deadly diseases like dengue, zika, chikungunya and yellow fever in humans. Officials of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District allowed the release of 75 million modified mosquitoes for a period of two years.
This work is being carried out by the UK-based Oxitech Biotechnology Company. The company plans that millions of genetically altered male mosquitoes will go into the environment. This male mosquito will mate with females. The female mosquito needs blood to lay eggs and that’s why they bite humans, so the company has made some genetic changes in male mosquitoes keeping these things in mind. The company believes that genetically altered male mosquitoes, which do not bite, will mate with the female and in the meantime they will release protein that is genetically altered and kill the female mosquito before its bite age. The company believes that it will help in reducing the population of insects thus spreading the disease. Oxitech scientist Kevin Gorman said in a phone interview from the United Kingdom on Thursday that the company had successfully done such projects in the Cayman Islands and Brazil. Gorman said, “It went very well. We have released a billion modified mosquitoes in recent years. Have released their mosquitoes and they have not affected the environment or humans in any way. “
