Article by: Dr Zoe Arugay
Gone were the days when mosquitoes were regarded as pests. No, I don't mean keeping them as 'pets!'
Thanks to scientists, a new breed of mosquitoes have been created, which are unable to pass on malaria to humans.
The genetically modified mosquitoes are intended to replace wild mosquitoes, although it would be too early at this point in time, and scientists predict at least a decade to achieve.
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| Malaria Free Mosquitoes?! |
Around 250 million people are infected a year by malaria and more than a million lives are lost to the airborne disease, most especially children.
The disease, is caused by a parasite, a single cell organism known as Plasmodium. There had already been previous attempts to develop GM mosquitoes which although the insects ability to pass on the pathogen was reduced, it was not all eradicated.
Yet scientists believe that they have created a kind of mosquito that is unable to pass on the disease to humans, in other words, are immune to Plasomodium.
Professor Michael Riehle, a researcher of the University of Arizona says, "Its not going to be a magic bullet to eradicate malaria, but it's a new tool in our treasure chest."
Referring to previous failed attempts to alter mosquitoes, he continues by explaining, "If you want to effectively stop the spreading of the malaria parasite, you need mosquitoes that are no less than 100 percent resistant to it. If a single parasite slips through and infects a human, the whole approach will be doomed to fail."
The insects have been kept in a highly secure lab to prevent any chances of them escaping, yet the primary goal would be to see these insects replace those in the wild.
"It would probably take at least a decade, if not more. The biggest thing we are missing is a mechanism for driving our genes through the whole population," concludes Riehl
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