Brazil plans to combat endemic dengue fever with GM mosquitoes
Brazil said it will breed huge numbers of genetically modified mosquitoes to help stop the spread of dengue fever, an illness that has already struck nearly 500,000 people this year nationwide, killing 74.
Dengue affects between 50 and 100 million people in the tropics and subtropics each year, causing fever, muscle and joint ache as well as potentially fatal dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome.
The disease is caused by four strains of virus that are spread by the mosquito Aedes aegypti. There is no vaccine, which is why scientists are focusing so intensely on mosquito control.
The initiative in Brazil will produce large quantities of genetically modified male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which will be released into nature to mate with females, the health ministry said.
“Their offspring will not reach adulthood, which should reduce the population,” it said in a statement.
The new mosquitoes will be produced in a factory inaugurated on Saturday in the north-eastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Four million insects will be churned out per week.
The experiment has already been attempted in two mosquito-infested towns in Bahia, each with about 3,000 inhabitants. “Using this technique, we reduced the mosquito population by 90 percent in six months,” the ministry said.
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Very amusing Guzz, just don't try slapping this Old Brit living in Uruguay.
On a serious note however, dengue is a very serious disease and is fatal in far too many cases. An Aussie friend of mine had dengue twice, both times in the Northern Territories, and was told by his doctor in no uncertain waythat if he contracted it again it would more than likely be fatal. So he moved to the south of England.
He was none too pleased when I pointed out that native birds in the area had the antibodies to dengue in their blood.
I would never slap anyone, mate, it's all mouthcrap (let me choose proper euro blood to blame...)
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