Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes Approved for Release — Here’s What You Need to Know
750 million genetically engineered mosquitoes have been approved for release in the Florida Keys. Why, and how will this impact nature?
Think back to the year 2019, then take a look at 2020. In one year, so much has happened: a pandemic, quarantine, toilet paper shortage, and so much more. But even though COVID-19 is the star of 2020, other diseases still run rampant. Viruses like malaria, the Zika virus, and the West Nile virus have not taken a break and still affect many people.
If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll notice that all of the illnesses listed above have a common characteristic: they’re mosquito-borne. It’s hard to imagine that a pesky six-legged insect can cause so much damage, but mosquitoes are categorized as the world’s most dangerous animal. The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that mosquitoes cause over one million deaths every year.
With COVID-19 in full swing, doctors need to focus on finding a cure or vaccine for this virus, which means they have less time and resources to deal with mosquito-borne viruses. Luckily, Oxitec, an American-owned company located in Britain, developed a potential solution to mosquitoes and their transmission of virulent diseases.
Oxitec has created genetically engineered male mosquitoes (since only female mosquitoes bite humans), which will then mate with wild female mosquitoes. The genetically engineered males will release a protein in their offspring that will kill them shortly after they’re born. This means that as time goes on, the mosquito population will see a significant decline. However, is this a good solution or will it damage the natural order of nature?
What Will Happen in the Florida Keys?
Oxitec has chosen a string of tropical islands near Florida known as the Florida Keys to test its solution. These islands are very beautiful and are a popular vacation spot for many. Obviously, they’re surrounded by water and there are bodies of still water in the islands, which makes them a hotspot for mosquito activity. Even though it’s a very controversial decision, these genetically engineered mosquitoes have been approved for release in 2021.
What This Means for the Environment
Kevin Gorman, an Oxitec scientist, claims that Oxitec has already conducted this experiment in the Cayman Islands and Brazil. He stated,
“We have released over a billion of our mosquitoes over the years. There is no potential for risk to the environment or humans.”
Even with these confident claims from Oxitec, there are many concerns about the ecosystem. One major question is: how will the genetically modified proteins affect predators when they ingest the mosquitoes. Questions like these are extremely difficult to answer, as the ecosystem is very biodiverse. This means that all the possible outcomes can not be tested.
Additionally, this experiment may not even effectively decline the mosquito population. This is because these new mosquitoes may not outcompete wild male mosquitoes for the females. With all of these confounding variables, it’s difficult to determine what these mosquitoes will do to nature. Only time will tell as the experiment commences.
Current Situation
Currently, Oxitec is prepared. They’ve proven the safety of this experiment by showing numerous studies conducted by government agencies. Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have approved the experimental project along with many government agencies in Florida. This doesn’t mean that everyone accepts this decision, though, as the Florida Keys Environmental Coalition does not agree with it.
Even though this experiment is not universally accepted, it will be implemented. As of right now, this is the only solution we have to combat mosquito-borne illnesses. If this solution works, it may help decrease mosquito populations, and consequently, the number of people infected by fatal illnesses.
Even though this project has been approved by many government agencies and health organizations, there are still many who think interfering with nature will result in catastrophic consequences. This may seem scary, but this project also has the potential to save millions of lives every year. Until field testing occurs, however, all we can do is wait and study the results.
Want to learn more about this potential solution to our pesky problem? Check out these informative websites:
