Genetically modified mosquitos : GMO mosquitos

 Introduction 

Ae. aegypti mosquitoes can be genetically modified and used to control other Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in a community. In the United States, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has authorized use of OX5034 GM Ae. aegypti mosquitoes for release in counties in Florida and Texas. This EPA authorization allows local mosquito control programs to evaluate how effective GM mosquitoes are in reducing Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in areas where they have been released.

How mosquitos get genetically modified ?

GM mosquitoes are mass-produced in a laboratory to carry two types of genes:

A self-limiting gene that prevents female mosquito offspring from surviving to adulthood.

A fluorescent marker gene that glows under a special red light. This allows researchers to identify GM mosquitoes in the wild.

GM mosquitoes produced in the laboratory lay eggs. These eggs carry the self-limiting and fluorescent marker genes.

GM mosquito eggs that carry the self-limiting gene are released into an area. Once they have hatched and develop through to the adult stage, they are available to mate with wild females. The genes are passed on to offspring.

The female offspring die before they become adults. The expected result is that the number of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in the area decreases.

Effectiveness of GM mosquitoes in reducing numbers of mosquitos.

GM mosquitoes have been successfully used in parts of Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Panama, and India to control Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. Since 2019, over 1 billion mosquitoes have been released.

When GM mosquitoes stop being released into an area, the Ae. aegypti mosquito population will slowly return to “normal levels.”

GM mosquitoes will only work to reduce numbers of target mosquito species (e.g., Ae. aegypti), not other types of mosquitoes. Most communities have more than one type of mosquito.

GM mosquitoes and integrated mosquito management

Using GM mosquitoes may be more effective if used along with other mosquito control methods as part of an integrated mosquito management (IMM) approach, including:

Educating the community about how they can control mosquitoes in and around their homes

Conducting mosquito surveillance (tracking and monitoring the number of mosquitoes, and types of mosquitoes in an area)

Removing standing water where mosquitoes lay eggs

Using larvicides and insecticides to control mosquito larvae, pupae, and adult mosquitoes

Monitoring how effective mosquito programs are at reducing numbers of mosquitoes.