Mosquitoes against mosquitoes

Brazil produces genetically modified mosquitoes

Daria Yurieva, TASS

A private laboratory for the production of genetically modified mosquitoes, which are considered an effective method of combating the spread of the Zika virus, has opened in the Brazilian city of Piracicaba (Sao Paulo state). This was reported by the Globo TV channel.

According to him, up to 60 million insects per week can be created in the walls of a room with a total area of 5 thousand square meters. meters. We are talking about a genetically modified variety of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are carriers of dangerous Zika, dengue and chikungunya viruses. "We are ready to expand production to any scale to help protect people in Brazil," said Glen Slade, director of the British biotech company Oxitec, which owns the project. According to the firm, its method of introducing genetically modified mosquitoes leads to a significant reduction in their population.

The fact is that the offspring of mutated insects die before reaching puberty. Therefore, genetically modified males, which do not bite themselves and do not spread viruses, are released in the habitats of this species of mosquitoes to mate with ordinary females. As a result, according to experts, the insect population decreases over time by more than 90%. This is confirmed by experiments that have already been conducted in Brazil, Panama and the Cayman Islands.

As Slade explained, all mosquitoes released from the walls of the laboratory, in addition to a special gene that negatively affects the health of offspring, will receive a special fluorescent labeling. This will allow you to monitor the results of the experiment on their introduction into the environment.

The cost of the laboratory in Piracicaba, dubbed "Aedes Dobra", amounted to 20 million reais ($6.4 million). Another 3.7 million ($1.18 million) will be spent on the production of the first batch of insects, which will be released in the vicinity of the institution. At the same time, according to Oxitec, we are not talking about a commercial project, but about the company's investments in scientific research.

Zika fever was first detected in 1947 in Uganda. With this disease, as a rule, the temperature rises slightly, chills appear, a rash on the skin, rapid fatigue is noted, but it can often be asymptomatic. In recent months, scientists from several countries have concluded that infection with the Zika virus during pregnancy can lead to a significant reduction in the size of the skull (microcephaly) of the fetus, as well as cause such a severe neurological complication as Guillain-Barre syndrome. In February, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized the spread of this fever in South and North America as an international medical emergency.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru  27.10.2016