• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
BlackDoctor.org
Where Wellness & Culture Connect

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

  • Health Conditions
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Longevity
  • Find A Doctor
  • Events
  • Subscribe
Home / Wellness / General Health / 750 Million Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes to Be Released in Florida

750 Million Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes to Be Released in Florida


Approved by the Environment Protection Agency earlier this year, a project to release 750 million genetically-engineered mosquitoes is ready to be released and fly in the skies of Florida in 2021.

You may ask, why in the world is someone creating genetically-modified mosquitoes, don’t we have enough mosquitoes already? And that would be a great question.

These mutant bugs are designed to test if a genetically modified mosquito is a viable alternative to spraying insecticides to control the Aedes aegypti. It’s a species of mosquito that carries several deadly diseases, such as Zika, dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever.

The Aedes aegypti is invasive to southern Florida, and are commonly found in urban areas where they live in standing pools of water. In many areas, including the Florida Keys, they have developed a resistance to pesticides.

You May Also Like
9 Foods You Should Never Eat after Age 30

Activists against this project warn of possible damage to ecosystems, and the potential creation of hybrid, insecticide-resistant mosquitoes. One group even went as far as to condemn the plan as a public “Jurassic Park experiment”.

Some argue that the Oxitec mosquitoes, themselves, may also harm local wildlife in unintended ways. “An ecosystem is so complicated and involves so many species, it would be almost impossible to test them all in advance in a lab,” Max Moreno, an expert in mosquito-borne diseases at Indiana University who is not involved with the pilot project, told the Associated Press.

But the company involved says there will be no adverse risk to humans or the environment, and points to a slate of government-backed studies.

The biotech company Oxitec, which designed the modified pests, did so by introducing a “lethal gene” into male Ades aegypti mosquitoes, Live Science previously reported. In theory, the modified males should mate with female mosquitoes and pass the lethal gene on to female offspring, causing the offspring to die before reaching maturity because they cannot properly build an essential protein. This same genetic change does not affect male survival, so the Oxitec mosquitoes survive to mate with females, according to Science Magazine.

You May Also Like
One Scoop of this Drink Gives You All the Veggies

An Oxitec scientist told AP news agency: “We have released over a billion of our mosquitoes over the years. There is no potential for risk to the environment or humans”.

Only female mosquitoes bite humans because they need blood to produce eggs. So the plan is to release the male, modified mosquitoes who will then hopefully breed with wild female mosquitoes.

However, the males carry a protein that will kill off any female offspring before they reach mature biting age. Males, which only feed on nectar, will survive and pass on the genes.

Over time, the aim is to reduce the population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the area and thereby reduce the spread of disease to humans.

One of main diseases they are targeting is the Zika virus. The Zika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in monkeys. It was later identified in humans in 1952 in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.

Outbreaks of Zika virus disease have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific. From the 1960s to 1980s, rare sporadic cases of human infections were found across Africa and Asia, typically accompanied by mild illness.

Origin of Zika Virus

The first recorded outbreak of Zika virus disease was reported from the Island of Yap (Federated States of Micronesia) in 2007. This was followed by a large outbreak of

Continue Reading

The Latest In General Health

Supreme Court Sides with Mother to Keep Child on Life Support

The U.S. Supreme Court has sided with the mother of Tinslee Lewis just a month before the child's second birthday. Tinslee was born prematurely with an Ebstein's anomaly, a rare and often terminal heart disease. She has been on life read more about Supreme Court Sides with Mother to Keep Child on Life Support
Man doing push-ups with dumb bells on the side.

6 Steps To Kick-Start Your Fitness Journey

Starting a fitness journey is one of the first steps to living your best life. It's one of the best things you can do for yourself and your loved ones, but it can be a bit overwhelming or intimidating if read more about 6 Steps To Kick-Start Your Fitness Journey

Mrs. Parker From ‘Friday’ at 70 & Still Turning Heads!

"Hey, Ms. Parker!" is a line that many who watched the film Friday, featuring Ice Cube and Chris Tucker, loved and could recite over and over again. Mrs. Parker, played by Hollywood veteran Kathleen Bradley, was the sultry siren neighbor read more about Mrs. Parker From ‘Friday’ at 70 & Still Turning Heads!

Black America’s Vaccine Hesitancy

The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact has been felt in communities across the U.S., from the largest urban centers to the smallest rural communities. Black Americans (8.2 percent) are the second-largest minority group, behind Hispanics,  in rural and small-town areas. Prior research read more about Black America’s Vaccine Hesitancy

The Novel COVID-19 Variant Are in these 8 States: Here’s What You Should Know

Information about the characteristics of the new COVID-19 variant that emerged in Europe is rapidly being released. Scientists are working to learn more about how easily they might spread, whether they could cause more severe illness, and whether currently authorized read more about The Novel COVID-19 Variant Are in these 8 States: Here’s What You Should Know

Best-Selling Author, Eric Jerome Dickey, Dead at 59

Well-known, celebrated author, Eric Jerome Dickey, who's known for penning such bestsellers such as “Sister, Sister,” “Friends and Lovers” and “Between Lovers,” died this week at 59. “It is with great sadness that we confirm that beloved New York Times read more about Best-Selling Author, Eric Jerome Dickey, Dead at 59

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter

Poll

Popular Posts

  • Rihanna: The Healthy “Thick” Weight PlanRihanna: The Healthy "Thick" Weight Plan
  • 10 Cities With The Highest HIV Rates10 Cities With The Highest HIV Rates
  • Mrs. Parker From ‘Friday’ at 70 & Still Turning Heads!Mrs. Parker From 'Friday' at 70 & Still Turning Heads!
  • Best-Selling Author, Eric Jerome Dickey, Dead at 59Best-Selling Author, Eric Jerome Dickey, Dead at 59
  • 14 Most-Overlooked HIV Symptoms14 Most-Overlooked HIV Symptoms

Podcast

Diabetes prevention and management podcast

Dr. LeNoir is joined by Dr. Lenore Coleman, a Pharmacist and Founder of Healing Our Village, as they offer you the tools you need to prevent and manage diabetes.

Listen Now

Footer

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Learn More About

  • Hepatitis C
  • Diabetes
  • Sickle Cell
  • Mental Health
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise With Us
  • BlackDoctor.org Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
  • Daily Vitamina
  • TBH

Copyright © 2021, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.