.
The
lab-grown mosquitoes developed by MosquitoMate seek to eliminate the
disease-carrying Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus, shown here). [Excerpted
from 10.1038/nature.2017.22959]
In attempts to fight the Asian tiger mosquito, an invasive
species that spreads diseases like zika, the Environmental Protection Agency
approved the use of Wolbachia pipientis, a bacterium that can infect and
eliminate this species of mosquito. A biotech company [Mosquito Mate] will raise male
mosquitoes, infected with the bacterium and release them in 20 states. The infected males will mate with the female Asian Tiger species. The females will lay eggs that will not hatch, eventually killing of the species.
“The EPA decision excludes much of the southeastern United
States, which is home to dense populations of mosquitoes and a long mosquito season,
because MosquitoMate did not conduct field trials there” [Waltz, 2017].
To read more about
this experiment and trial release of mosquitoes, follow the links below.
Nature doi:10.1038/nature.2017.22959
EPA: EPA Grants
Extension of Experimental Use Permit for ‘Wolbachia
Mosquito’
Grist: The U.S. plans to use killer mosquitoes
to fight disease
I have included links to descriptions of the various viruses that are carried by the Asian tiger mosquito.
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