FunNature & AnimalThey approve the release of millions of genetically modified...

They approve the release of millions of genetically modified mosquitoes

 

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved two more years to test genetically modified mosquitoes as a method of live pest control, continuing a pilot program that began in 2021 in the Florida Keys and expanding it to up to four California counties (USA).

 

genetically altered mosquitoes

These are male mosquitoes, OX5034 Aedes aegypti , created by the biotechnology company Oxitec, which have been modified to carry genes that kill females, which are precisely the ones that bite and transmit diseases. The difference between a normal mosquito and a genetically altered one cannot be seen with the naked eye, but the result is stunning: the males have been genetically modified to express the protein tTAV-OX5034. Such protein will be passed on and kill the female offspring, which is responsible for biting and infecting people with diseases.

When these males mate with local females, of the offspring, only the males survive . The females die shortly after birth. Those who inherit this gene will also doom their future female offspring to combat mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever, yellow fever, and the Zika virus.

Once approved by the EPA, the first wave will launch this year, though exactly when is unclear, as it requires state regulatory approval in Florida and California.

 

A plan to end mosquito-borne diseases

Oxitec’s head of global public affairs, Meredith Fensom, said that while the EPA’s approval covers one county in Florida and four in California and the release of more than 2 billion genetically altered male mosquitoes in every state, plans for the release to be much more limited, covering only the Florida Keys and expanding to Visalia in Tulare County, California.

The company Oxitec reported that Aedes aegypti, considered an invasive species, makes up a small fraction of the total mosquito population in Florida, but accounts for a large number of human disease cases. Specifically, the company will release 2.4 billion genetically altered mosquitoes in two periods between 2022 and 2024.

This process, scientists hope, will crush mosquito-borne disease transmissions and protect vulnerable populations. This would also work to reduce the population of invasive species, further slowing disease transmission, although that’s still theoretical. But not everyone agrees with this plan.

 

concerns

Environmental groups are concerned about the impact of genetically modified insects.

“Scientists have found genetic material from GM mosquitoes in wild populations at significant levels, which means that GM mosquitoes are not sterile. GM mosquitoes could cause many more health and environmental problems than they solve. EPA needs to do a real review of the potential risks and stop ignoring widespread opposition in the communities where the releases will occur ,” explained Dana Perls, Food and Technology Program Manager at Friends of the Earth (FOE). and a California resident, in a press release.

Friends of the Earth hopes to appeal to state regulators to prevent the release of billions of mosquitoes, claiming there is no publicly available data to support the idea that they will lead to a reduction in mosquito-borne diseases.

According to the Center for Food Safety, this experiment is useless. “It’s a dangerous and unnecessary experiment as there are no locally acquired cases of dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya or Zika in California ,” says Jaydee Hanson, policy director at the Center for Food Safety.

 

 

Referencia: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Experimental Use Permit Amended for 93167-EUP-2 to Allow Releases of OX5034 Aedes aegypti in Florida and California. Posted March 7, 2022.

Referencia: Friends of Earth (FOE.org)

What are the real impacts of a golf course?

Although it may seem that golf is a sport closely linked to natural spaces, it actually has a great impact on the environment.

The South American firefly, a new invasive species in Spain?

Initially it was identified as a new species of firefly, although it was soon seen that, in fact, it had been brought by the human hand from Argentina.

NASA discovers more than 50 areas that emit exorbitant levels of greenhouse gases

NASA's 'EMIT' spectrometer locates has targeted Central Asia, the Middle East and the US among others.

Scientists identify the exact number of hamburgers you can eat without destroying the Earth

A new report highlights how much we should reduce our meat consumption per week to prevent the climate crisis from worsening.

Can an alligator have feathers?

If alligators and crocodiles have the genes that allow them to form feathers, why aren't they feathered?

More