Melisa Robinson

Genetically Modified Mosquitos

Introduction
Malaria, Dengue fever, and the Zika virus are just three examples of diseases that have
wreaked havoc on humanity throughout history. One thing that they all have in common is that
mosquitos transmit them. Mosquitos play a major role in the transmission of many diseases
that plague humanity. In addition, the number of diseases that they transmit continues to grow.
Zika virus is a more recent example of a mosquito-borne disease (Maurice 2016) and the spread
of Zika has now drawn international attention. For most people, contracting the Zika virus
causes only mild flu-like symptoms that fade after a week. However, contracting the Zika virus
when pregnant can cause serious birth defects (Maurice 2016). In 2015, Brazil reported more
than six thousand cases of microcephaly and other developmental disorders in infants whose
mothers had contracted Zika (Maurice 2016). In many countries around the world, cases of Zika
virus have reached epidemic levels, and countries are now reacting to the threat.
Currently, there are no known medical treatments for Zika virus (Maurice 2016), so for
the moment the method of controlling the disease falls to regulating the vectors of
transmission. In this case, the disease vector is the female Aedes mosquito, which transmits the
virus through its bite. So controlling the disease primarily means controlling the Aedes
mosquito population in areas determined to be high-risk. There are several methods used
previously to control the spread of disease, but scientists are always searching for methods that
are more effective. One promising candidate is the use of genetically modified (GM) mosquitos
(Atsk 2016). Simply put, the idea is to breed effectively sterile male mosquitos and release them

Melisa Robinson

into the wild, where they can breed with females, but not create any offspring. While this
seems to be an effective method, it also has raised many questions about possible risks. Can
GM mosquitos be safely used to control mosquito populations, and by association limit the
spread of disease? And if they can, what are the potential risks to releasing modified insects
into the wild population? Many variables are still unanswered about the potential effects
modified mosquitos could have on various ecosystems.
Results
The use of genetically modified insects to control populations is not a new concept.
Over the last fifty years, scientists have used these techniques to help control populations of
several different types of agricultural pests (Phuc et. al 2007). These programs were successful,
but to date, these techniques have not been used to control mosquito populations. Mosquito
population control has proven to be a more complicated problem to solve.
In the past, scientists created sterile insects by irradiating them either in their larval or
adult stages (Phuc et. al 2007). This technique is less effective when applied to mosquito
populations. Part of the reason for this is that only male mosquitos are appropriate candidates
for programs that use irradiation techniques. Unlike female mosquitos, males do not bite and
therefore cannot transmit diseases on their own. Releasing altered females could still spread
disease and is therefore not a viable option (Phuc et. al 2007). Because scientists only release
males, they compete with other wild males for the right to breed with wild females. If the
irradiation has affected their development, they will be unable to compete with the wild males

Melisa Robinson

and the populations of mosquitos will be largely unaffected (Phuc et. al 2007). In order for this
idea to work, new techniques needed to be developed.
Scientists are now testing new and innovative GM methods in regards to the control of
the Aedes mosquito (Matthews 2016). Referred to as the sterile insect technique, this new
method creates male Aedes mosquitos that can only sire offspring that will die in their larval
stage. This is not done with the use of radiation, but rather through genetic manipulation.
Scientists create these GM mosquitos by inserting a self-limiting gene into the males that then
passes on to their offspring (Matthews 2016). Any larva born with this gene dies before they
reach adulthood. The idea is that when the modified insects are released, they will be able to
compete in the wild and breed with wild females. However, they will not produce any viable
offspring; therefore, the population of mosquitos will diminish (Matthews 2016).
A small town in Brazil was one of the first areas to release these particular GM
mosquitos as a part of a study to test the effectiveness of this technique. This study lasted for
two years, and focused on the number of reported dengue fever cases from year to year
(Matthew 2016). The Aedes mosquito is responsible for the transmission of Zika along with
dengue fever. From 2014-2015, there were 133 reported cases of dengue. From 2015-2016,
GM mosquitos were released and the number of cases dropped to 12. This is a 90% decrease in
reported cases, which is an incredibly positive result (Atsk 2016). Brazil is beginning to use this
method on a wider scale, and only time will tell if it remains as effective as it appears to be now
(Akst 2016).

Melisa Robinson

Discussion
Currently, the standard procedures for controlling mosquito populations involve
eliminating stagnant water pools, which are breeding grounds for mosquitos, and the use of
pesticides in areas with high mosquito populations. The use of pesticides is controversial in its
own right, but it is an effective method. Recently, as a response to the Zika invasion, South
Carolina sprayed several areas with a neurotoxic pesticide (Yuhas 2016). The state did this in
response to the more than three dozen cases of Zika reported in South Carolina recently.
However, while this may have helped prevent the spread of disease, it also killed an estimated
2.5 million honeybees in the area (Yuhas 2016). The use of such a powerful pesticide can have a
devastating effect on the rest of the world. When sprayed, pesticides do not just kill the single
targeted species. It can also kill an untold number of other insects in the area, and as a result
can create a cascade effect on the surrounding ecosystems.
Controlling drainage and eliminating stagnant water pools is also an effective method.
Recently a town in Brazil halved the number of reported cases of dengue fever, which is a
disease transmitted by the same mosquito that carries Zika, by eliminating standing water
(Matthew 2016). However, while this method is effective, it is also much more difficult to
maintain. Any pools of standing water must be drained and kept that way to eliminate
mosquito breeding grounds. While that might be relatively simple in well-developed countries,
regions that lack a strong sewage infrastructure might find this very expensive and difficult to
maintain.

Melisa Robinson

Despite the limited number of cost effective, low impact systems, GM mosquitos are
quite controversial. Their proponents point to how little of an impact they have on the
ecosystem, while their detractors point out that we do not actually know the full impact that a
genetically modified insect could have on the ecosystem (Angulo 2008). It is unknown what will
happen to the ecosystem if these modified insects are released. An unexpected reaction could
have catastrophic consequences. Will the mosquitos mutate in an unpredictable way, creating
more problems than they will solve? Will some of the mosquitos manage to breed despite the
modification, increasing the problem rather than solving it? If the population does decrease,
will it have an effect on the predators that use them as a food source? These are legitimate
concerns that need to be studied before the use of GM mosquitos can be approved across the
board. It is the lack of knowledge about potential consequences that has many people hesitant
to use this technique on a wide scale.
This method also creates a new geopolitical issue. While Brazil may approve the use of
GM mosquitos, their neighboring countries might disagree, and wild animals do not care about
political boundaries. Mosquitos released in one country might not stay within that countrys
borders (Angulo et. al 2008). If one country releases these mosquitos, can they be held
responsible if it causes a problem in another region. This question will have to be answered if
this method becomes more widely accepted.
Public perception is also a factor in using this method on a wide scale. In Florida, a group
of scientists conducted a small survey that studied how people react to the idea of releasing
GM mosquitos (Adalja et. al 2016). Surprisingly, almost 80% of the responses were against the

Melisa Robinson

use of the insects. Some people were worried about the possible ecological impact, but many
more were worried simply because the insects were genetically modified (Adalja et. al 2016).
With the current attitude toward genetically modified food, genetically modified insects can
sound unsettling to the public. It is important to note that the less that people knew about the
diseases that mosquitos transmit; the more likely they were to oppose the use of population
control (Adalja et. al 2016).
In my opinion, out of an array of options that are less than perfect, this one seems to be
the least imperfect so far. We still do not know what the full impact GM mosquitos could have
on the environment, but we do know just how badly pesticides can affect the environment. We
know that pesticides can be effective in limiting outbreaks, but they also tend to poison much
more than the targeted species. Those chemicals remain in the environment and can build up
over time. GM mosquitos are very low impact on the environment. The greatest cause for
concern is that by eliminating or greatly lessening the adult population, the predators that feed
on them may lose their food supply. However, this is an issue for any form of mosquito
population control.
There are many questions that this new technology creates, and scientists are not even
close to answering all of them. Nevertheless, that can be said to be true of any new technology.
So far, GM mosquitos have been incredibly successful at limiting the spread of disease, with
very little effect on the surrounding ecosystem. They live. They die. They do not procreate. They
seem to leave no impact on the world. It is true that there are many unanswered questions
around them, but that is something that can be addressed with more research and more time.

Melisa Robinson

The diseases carried by mosquitos are devastating all over the world. These diseases ravage
their way across countries with less than effective infrastructure and health care systems. If
these GM insects can help limit their spread easily and effectively, then it is certainly something
that needs to be supported.

Melisa Robinson

Works Cited
Adalja, A., T.K. Sell, M. McGinty, and C. Boddie. 2016. Genetically Modified (GM) Mosquito Use
to Reduce Mosquito-Transmitted Disease in the US: A Community Opinion Survey. PLoS
Currents 8:1-11.
Akst, J. 2016. GM Mosquitoes Reduce Dengue Cases in Brazil. The Scientist :online.
Angulo, E., and B. Gilna. 2008. International law should govern release of GM mosquitoes.
Nature 454:158.
Matthew, W. 2016. Dengue Fever Cases Drop 91% In Neighbourhood Of Piracicaba, Brazil,
Where OxitecS Friendly Aedes Were Released | Oxitec.
Maurice, J. 2016. WHO meeting thrashes out R&D strategy against Zika. The Lancet 378:1147.
Phuc, H.K., M. H. Andreasen, R. S. Burton, C. Vass, M. J. Epton, G. Pape, G. Fu, K. C. Condon,
S. Scaife, C. A. Donnelly, P. G. Coleman, H. White-Cooper, and L. Alphey. 2007. Lateacting dominant lethal genetic systems and mosquito control. BioMed Central 5:1-11.
Yuhas, A. 2016. US beekeepers fear for livelihoods as anti-Zika toxin kills 2.5m bees. The
Guardian :online.