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posted by martyb on Friday August 19 2016, @03:29AM   Printer-friendly
from the shooting-blanks dept.

The FDA has completed the environmental review for a proposed field trial to determine whether the release of Oxitec Ltd.'s genetically engineered (GE) mosquitoes (OX513A) will suppress the local Aedes aegypti mosquito population in the release area at Key Haven, Florida. After considering thousands of public comments, the FDA has published a final environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) that agrees with the EA's conclusion that the proposed field trial will not have significant impacts on the environment.

[The genetically engineered mosquitoes possess a] self-limiting gene that prevents the offspring from surviving. Male modified mosquitoes, which do not bite or spread disease, are released to mate with the pest females. Their offspring inherit the self-limiting gene and die before reaching adulthood—before they can reproduce or spread disease.

[Release of the OX513A mosquitoes in both Brazil and the Cayman Islands] strongly suppressed the target wild population—by 80–95%

http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm490246.htm
http://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0003864
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aedes_aegypti#Genetic_modification

Previously: Genetically-Modified Mosquito Company Expands Operations


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  • (Score: 2) by PinkyGigglebrain on Friday August 19 2016, @04:07AM

    by PinkyGigglebrain (4458) on Friday August 19 2016, @04:07AM (#389911)

    Not all mosquitoes are dangerous, even within a single species only a small number are carriers. If it was otherwise there would be a much higher infection rate because of them.

    And not all mosquito predators are generalists, some are more dependent on specific species than others. The follow on impact might be minimal but then again it might not be. I worry that nobody looked beyond the direct impact of their plan and not on how it will effect the rest of the ecosystem in the longer term.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 19 2016, @07:58AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 19 2016, @07:58AM (#389981)

    Not all mosquitoes are dangerous, even within a single species only a small number are carriers.

    Any female mosquito of a species that can carry a particular disease can become a carrier. They become a carrier by biting an animal (including humans) that have the disease in question.