New evidence indicates that an effort to stamp out disease-carrying insects is working. The key? Mosquitoes genetically engineered to kill off their own kind.
, scientists at the company showed that their engineered insects were able to slash the local population of“This is an area with high levels of, and they periodically have outbreaks of dengue,” says Nathan Rose, head of malaria programs at Oxitec. In fact, this summer the Brazilian Ministry of Health reported thatin all five regions of the country. Between January 1 and May 31, Brazil had more than 1.1 million cases—an increase of 198 percent compared to the same period in 2021.
For the study, which was conducted in 2018 and 2019, the company chose four densely populated neighborhoods with high levels of. In two, scientists released a “dose” of 100 male mosquitoes per resident per week. In the others, they cranked that up to 500. The modified males mate with wild females, but the self-limiting gene prevents female progeny from surviving. This gene, which is lab-engineered but based on elements found inand the herpes simplex virus, causes the female offspring’s cells to produce lots of a protein called tTAV. This interferes with their cells’ ability to produce other essential proteins needed for development. As a result, the females die off before they mature and start biting.
To determine just how effective these self-limiting male mosquitoes are, scientists have to gauge the local mosquito population before and after the experiment. They either lure, trap, and tally the number of adult mosquitoes in an area, or set out traps filled with water, and then count the eggs females lay in them. Then they extrapolate to get a population estimate.
This study found that during the peak mosquito season, which lasts from November to April in Brazil, treated mosquito populations were suppressed by an average of 88 percent, and in some cases up to 96 percent, compared to those in an untreated neighborhood that acted as a control.Interestingly, the dose of the mosquitoes didn’t seem to make a difference in how effective the method was.
Deutschland Neuesten Nachrichten, Deutschland Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
Advice | How do we stop whining that turns into crying that turns into a tantrum?What can we do when whining turns into crying, especially when we can't take the whining?
Weiterlesen »
New York lake-effect snowstorm turns deadly as Big Apple sees first freezeA New York snowstorm dumped more than five feet in parts of the state on Friday and into Saturday. Two men were reported dead after suffering cardiac events.
Weiterlesen »
New Mexico State vs. New Mexico basketball game postponed after deadly campus shootingSaturday's college basketball game between New Mexico State and New Mexico was postponed after a deadly shooting on New Mexico's campus.
Weiterlesen »
New Mexico-New Mexico State game postponed after fatal shooting reportedly involving NMSU playerA men's basketball game between rivals New Mexico and New Mexico State was postponed Saturday after a fatal shooting on New Mexico campus that reportedly involved NMSU forward Mike Peake.
Weiterlesen »