There may be an effective method to combat the Zika virus woes in Brazil: new test results reveal genetically modified mosquitoes developed by a British biotech firm can do the job.
Brazil has been struggling to contain the spread of the Zika virus, which has been linked to a rise in cases of babies born with birth defects, within the country. One of the birth defects is microcephaly, a rare condition where the baby's head is smaller than normal and the brain does not develop properly.
The self-limiting, genetically modified strain of the Aedes aegypti mosquito was created by United Kingdom-based company Oxitec, which is a subsidiary of the United States biotech company Intrexon.
What Oxitec Has Done and What It Plans to Do
Oxitec has partnered with Brazilian authorities to introduce the genetically modified mosquitoes into the wild to lower the population of the virus and reduce the threat to humans.
The company currently produces the modified mosquitoes in Campinas and will construct a second facility in Piracicaba, Sao Paulo.
"Oxitec is initiating a new mosquito production facility in Piracicaba that will have capacity to protect over 300,000 people," wrote the company.
The genetically modified mosquitoes, which are called OX513A mosquitoes, do not have the capacity to spread the Zika virus because only female mosquitoes bite. About 25 million OX513A mosquitoes were released in April and November last year.
Strong Results in Controlling the Aedes Mosquito Population
Controlling the population of the Aedes vector in Piracicaba showed strong results as there was a big drop in dengue cases in the area.
The OX513A mosquito effectively reduced the population of the wild Aedes mosquito larvae by 82 percent in the area. Officials in Piracicaba confirmed the tests and their results.
"This is a powerful and versatile tool that can dramatically reduce the levels of infestation, which is the core of Brazil's prevention strategy right now," said Glen Slade, Oxitec business development director in Brazil.
The OX513A mosquito was approved by Brazil's National Technical Commission for Biosafety (CTNBio), but it still needs authorization from Anvisa, a health surveillance regulatory body, in order to be moved into commercial production.
Technical Adviser Joseph Conlon of the American Mosquito Control Association said the results from the Oxitec method were novel and potentially effective.
Conlon said the procedure has yet to be 100 percent effective but, if allowed as a full measure, it could lower the mosquito population below disease transmission levels and have minimal effect on the environment.
Current Measures to Protect People from the Mosquito
Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel advisory that warned pregnant women to avoid going to 14 affected countries and territories in the Caribbean and Latin America. Meanwhile, the Brazilian army has been helping in efforts to control the Aedes mosquito population by eliminating stagnant water.
According to Brazil's Health Ministry, many of the 3,500 babies born with microcephaly since October are located in the nation's poorest regions. Residents in wealthier cities, such as Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, are stocking up on mosquito repellent over worries that the virus might spread there.
Photo : U.S. Department of Agriculture | Flickr
