Swarm of GMO Mosquitoes Set to Fly in South Florida

British biotech firm pioneers the way for chemical free pest control

At this point, the world is no stranger to genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Whether you agree with their impact to agricultural chemistry, they are here to stay. With Monsanto at the top of the food chain when it comes to GMO food products, other tech firms are exploring different ways of employing the use of GMOs for uses outside agriculture.

Among them is British biotech firm Oxitec. It's been developing a special breed of male mosquito over the past 10 years which when mated, will prevent wild type females from producing any larva. This in turn prevents the spread of diseases such as dengue fever and chikungunya.

These tropical ailments are spread by an invasive species of mosquito --Aedes aegypti, which has traveled well outside its original habitat becoming dangerously ubiquitous. Many of the viruses spread by the species have no known cure, so traditionally large amounts of pesticides were needed to counter the public health risk.

The Control Program developed by Oxitec is already being field tested in Brazil, with its high population and humid climate are optimal conditions for the spread of dengue fever. Florida is also set to implement field testing for the control program as well pending regulatory approval.

As with all things in the world of GMO, it isnt without its opponents. Local citizens of southern Florida have started a petition at Change.org to prevent their local community from becoming a testing ground for Oxitecs mutant bug. Despite successful testing in various places around the world, Oxitec is still waiting for FDA approval in the US.

Source: Sun-Sentinal

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Swarm of GMO Mosquitoes Set to Fly in South Florida