Genetically-Modified Mosquitos Fight Dengue Fever
(Brazil) Spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, dengue fever is a leading killer in tropical countries.
Now, with dengue endemic in three of the host cities for this summer’s World Cup, Brazilian health officials are trying a radical new approach — biotechnology. They’ve begun a two-year trial release of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that have been genetically modified.[…]It's hoped that the male GM mosquitos will mate with wild females and produce offspring that will die before they can reproduce.
The new breed of Aedes aegypti has been given a lethal gene. The deadly flaw is kept in check in the lab, but the mosquitos soon die in the wild.
The strain, developed by the British company Oxitec, was the first genetically modified insect to be released in the wild — during small tests in 2010.
1 comment:
Idiots!
They can do this, but they can't stop them from reproduction?
Birds and other critters will eat something else.
I hate these dam bugs, I ich for days when bitten, same with all bitting bugs.
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