Mutant mosquitoes fight malaria

In a cramped, humid laboratory in London, mosquitoes swarming in net-covered cages are being investigated for ways to control malaria.

Scientists have genetically engineered hundreds of mosquitoes in the hope of preventing them from transmitting the deadly disease.

Faced with a long war with malaria, scientists are currently exploring new ways that were only considered exaggerated a few years ago.

Andrea Crisanti - malaria expert responsible for genetically modifying mosquitoes at London Imperial University - said: 'We don't have what we can rely on. It's time to create something new. '

Malaria kills nearly 3 million people worldwide every year, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Millions of mosquito nets were distributed, villages were sprayed with mosquito repellent. But in that way the measure still does not significantly diminish malaria status.

After the failure of a series of measures, the United Nations recently announced a campaign to provide mosquito nets to anyone in need until 2010. Some scientists believe that creating mutated mosquitoes against The disease will be more effective.

(Photo: Getty Images)

Yeya Toure, a tropical disease researcher at the World Health Organization, said: 'We still have a more serious burden of malaria.'

Toure did not participate in research at Imperial University. He said: 'With such a situation, we have to find out whether the genetically modified mosquitoes make a difference.'

The Bill & Melinda Foundation found this plan very promising and invested nearly $ 30 million in a genetic modification campaign to prevent mosquitoes from spreading malaria or dengue fever.

Dr. Regina Rabinovich - director of infectious diseases department at Gates Foundation - said: 'This is one of the high-tech improvements with many risks but will bring fundamental changes in the battle between humans and mosquitoes. '.

Mosquitoes that are immune to malaria can disrupt the spread of the disease . "This is the ideal way to control malaria," said Rabinovich . It will bring potential changes'.

In 2005, Crisanti demonstrated that it was possible to produce genetically altered mosquitoes by inserting a gene that gave the male a fluorescent green color.

Among other possibilities, he and his team are now contemplating creating sterile male mosquitoes to mate with female mosquitoes in their natural environment, thereby limiting the growth of mosquito populations. They also try to create mosquitoes against malaria.

Last year, US researchers successfully created mosquitoes against a form of malaria that infects mice. It is also carried out to change the DNA of mosquitoes that transmit dengue.

But not everyone thinks these 'supernatural' mosquitoes are a good idea. Some scientists say there are too many genetic quizzes that must be answered so that mutant mosquitoes are effective.

According to Jo Lines, an expert in malaria research at London's School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, malaria is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes and is good at avoiding any measures scientists make to protect them. their host animal.

"Malaria has a lot of measures to constantly win us," Lines said. Whenever mosquitoes form genes against malaria, the pathogen always finds a way to cope.

Quantity is also a problem. Lines said: 'We will need to create billions of mutant mosquitoes if we want to improve the situation.'

Some environmentalists worry that mutated mosquitoes can devastate ecosystems.

Gallian Madill, a genetic engineering campaigner at Friends of the Earth in Washington, poses the question: 'Why can't we just provide mosquito nets for people instead of looking for techniques? complex to improve the situation but create a delicate balance of nature and evolutionary history? '

Rabinovich suggests conducting rigorous testing before releasing any mutated mosquitoes into the natural environment. She said: 'Cheating on Mother Nature is not good. But if we can find other ways to deal with malaria, then we can't just go ahead without fully evaluating it. '

Next year Crisanti hopes to complete the plan for the release of mutant mosquito testing in southern Italy. There, millions of mosquitoes will be loosely controlled in large cages to assess some of the problems such as how they will interact with mosquitoes in nature, and how many mosquitoes are needed. to defeat malaria.

Crisanti admits there will be unintended consequences when releasing mutated mosquitoes into the environment even though he cannot predict those consequences.

Scientists think this is a worthwhile challenge. ' I think this is a good thing to do. If we succeed, mutated mosquitoes will eliminate malaria for us. '