More than 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes will be released into the Florida Keys over the next two years with the aim of reducing the spread of disease to humans.
Officials in the Florida Keys approved Tuesday the release of the engineered bugs as the region struggles to contain outbreaks of dengue, which has infected at least 26 people to date in 2020, USA Today reported.
750 million genetically engineered mosquitoes approved for release in Florida Keys - CNN https://t.co/bQfJzrWCIZ
— Theresa Boyle (@theresaboyle) August 20, 2020
According to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dengue is a debilitating, mosquito-borne viral disease – typically found in the tropics – that causes sudden fever and acute joint pain.
Tuesday’s approval for the phased release comes months after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved an experimental-use permit granting the British-based, U.S.-operated Oxitec permission to release a genetically modified version of the Aedes aegypti into the wild, USA Today reported.
According to BBC News, Oxitec’s mosquito, called OX5034, mimics the type of mosquito that carries diseases such as dengue, Zika virus, chikungunya and yellow fever. All OX5034s are male, however, meaning they do not feed off blood and possess a gene that prevents female offspring from living long enough to feed off blood.
The hope, Oxitec claims, is to “cause the temporary collapse of a wild population” of female mosquitoes that would, over time, reduce the population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the area and thereby reduce the spread of disease to humans, the network reported.
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Cox Media Group
