According to new research malaria mosquitoes can be
wiped out
London reuter’s scientists have succeeded in
wiping out a population of caged mosquitoes in laboratory experiments using a
type of genetic engineering know as a Gene Drive, which spread a modification
blocking female reproduction.
A report published in the journal nature biotechnology,
says scientists managed to eliminate the population in less than 11 generations,
the technique in future could be used to control the spread of malaria, a
parasitic disease carried by Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes.
The results mark the first time this technology
has been able to completely suppress a population. The hope is that in future,
mosquitoes carrying a gene drive could be released spreading female infertility
within local malaria- carrying mosquito population and causing them to collapse.
Gene drive technologies alter DNA and drive self-sustaining genetic changes through multiple
generations by overriding normal biological processes. The technologies can be
very powerful, but they are also controversial, since such genetically
engineered organisms released in to the environment could have an unknown and irreversible
impact on the ecosystem.
The technology used in this study was designed
to target the specific mosquito species Anopheles Gambiae that is responsible
for malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa.
The World Health Organization has warned that
global progress against malaria is stalling and could be reversed if momentum in
fight to wipe out was lost.
Scientists stated the results showed the gene
drive solution can work, offering hope in the fight against a disease that has
plagues mankind for centuries., however there are still more work to be done in
both terms of testing the technology in larger lab-based and working for affected
countries.
Malaria is life- threatening disease. It’s typically transmitted through the
bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito. Infected mosquitoes carry the
plasmodium parasite. When this mosquito bites, the parasite is released in to
the bloodstream.
Once the parasites are inside the
body, they travel to the liver, where they mature. After several days, the
mature parasites enter the bloodstream and begin infecting red blood cells.
Within 48 to 72 hours, the parasites inside the
red blood cells multiply causing to burst open.
The parasites continue to infect red blood cells,
resulting in symptoms that occur in cycles that last two to three days at a
time.
The Home of the Disease Mosquitos
Malaria is typically found in tropical and
subtropical climates where the parasites can live. The World Health Organization
(WHO) states that, in 2016, there were an estimated 216 million cases in 91
countries. And killed 445,000 of them. Most
malaria deaths are in babies and young children.
In the U.S, the centers for disease control and
prevention (CDC) report 1,700 cases of malaria annually. Most cases of malaria
develop in people who travel to countries where malaria is more common.
types of malaria mosquitos
there are four kinds of malaria parasites that
can infect human:
1. plasmodium vivax
2. p. ovale
3. p. malariae
4. p. falciparum
Note – p falciparum causes a more severe from of
the disease and those who contact this form of malaria have been higher risk of
death. An infected mother can also pass the disease to her baby at birth. This is
known as congenital malaria.
Malaria can also be transmitted
through:
- An organ transplants
- A transfusion
- Use of shared needles or syringes.
Conclusion
Malaria is one the most dangerous life threating
infection, therefore to solve the malaria crises scientists should focus on the
least risky and most effective solutions, not experiment with ecosystems with
little regard for the potentially new environmental and health consequences.
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