A plan to release over 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes into the Florida Keys in 2021 received final approval from local authorities, against the objection of many local residents and a coalition of environmental advocacy groups.
It'll be the first time genetically modified mosquitoes have been released in the United States, and some health officials and members of the public have questioned the safety of such a plan.
The mosquito, named OX5034, has been altered to produce female offspring that die in the larval stage, well before hatching and growing large enough to bite and spread disease. Only the female mosquito bites for blood, which she needs to mature her eggs. Males feed only on nectar, and are thus not a carrier for disease.
CNN, UPI, WSHU
No comments:
Post a Comment