Eliminating the Mosquito is Technically Possible: Why Not Just Do It?

Thousands of species feed on the blood of various kinds of hosts, mainly vertebrates, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and even some kinds of fish. Some mosquitoes also attack invertebrates, mainly arthropods.

Though the loss of blood is seldom of any importance to the victim, the saliva of the mosquito often causes an irritating rash that is a serious nuisance. Much more serious though, are the roles of many species of mosquitoes as vectors of diseases. In passing from host to host, some transmit extremely harmful infections such as malaria, yellow fever, Chikungunya, West Nile virus, dengue fever, filariasis, Zika virus and other arboviruses, rendering it the deadliest animal family in the world. So why don't we just get rid of the critters?

One British company has the answer: Release millions of genetically-modified mosquitoes, and eliminate the mosquito through sex. This would eliminate the species of mosquito that bites us, transmitting disease vectors such as Zika.

Oxiter predicts no environmental damage release genetically engineered mosquitoes into areas where the Aedes aegypti mosquito species is known to live.

Why Not Eradicate Forever the one Mosquito Species Responsible for so much human misery? It's hard to come up with a compelling environmental reason not to just eradicate Aedes Aegypti forever.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has greenlit a field trial for the Oxitec mosquito in Monroe County, Florida. The FDA on August 13 released a "Finding of No Significant Impact" and "Final Environmental Assessment." This is the final step for mosquito breeder Oxitec. If they pass, any municipality or state can buy the bugs.

Monroe County will hold a local non-binding vote on the field trial in November before begins its trial with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District.

Oxitec is a subsidiary of Intrexon. The Oxitec mosquito contains a "self-limiting" gene that causes any offspring it has to die. Oxitec releases genetically engineered male mosquitoes into the wild to mate with wild female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, they breed. Note that male mosquitos don't bite people. Their offspring die before reaching adulthood.

One insect species is reponsible for malaria, Dengue Fever, Zika. It is doubtful that any species of bird or bat feeds so much on Aedes Aegypti that they would be threatened by the mosquito species' elimination from the environment.

Zika Virus has spread rapidly throughout Central and South American countries, such as Brazil and Puerto Rico. It is not know to be present in Miami Florida, where there are 2 exclusion zones. There are some reports of local transmission of Zika in Orange County, California.

Florida has asked for assistance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Director Tom Frieden says pregnant women all over the South should protect themselves against mosquito bites because of the risk of Zika.