Mixed Reactions as Kenya is Set To Release Genetically Modified Mosquitoes To Fight Malaria.
Mixed Reactions as Kenya is Set To Release Genetically Modified Mosquitoes To Fight Malaria: According to Dr Martin Bundi, the acting Deputy Director of Research and Development at Kemri there’s need to technologies to counter malaria.
The Centers for Disease Control GM mosquitoes are mass-produced in a laboratory to carry two types of genes. They include a self-limiting gene that prevents female mosquito offspring from surviving to adulthood and a fluorescent marker gene that glows under a special red light. This allows researchers to identify GM mosquitoes in the wild.
When the eggs hatch, they develop into adult mosquitoes. These mosquitoes mate with wild females. The genes are then passed on to offspring.
The expected result of using GM mosquitoes is that the numbers of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in an area decreases.
CDC States, “Releasing GM mosquitoes over several months can reduce the number of a specific mosquito species such as Ae. Aegypti,”
“The best way to prevent disease outbreaks is to control mosquitoes before an outbreak happens,” CDC highlights
According to Prof Christophides George and ProF Windbichler Nikolai from Imperial College, malaria is an endemic disease in Kenya and there is a need to control it.
He stated,”It is therefore important to embrace new technology that can assist in controlling it. The GM mosquitoes have shown promising results in laboratory settings, and the next step is to evaluate their effectiveness in the field.”