Genetically Modified Male Mosquitoes Released in California, Florida to Curb Its Local Population

US Environmental Protection Agency has just approved genetically modified male mosquitoes to be released into the wild in Florida and California, as part of a new strategy of reducing mosquito-borne diseases.

When a human is bitten by a mosquito, it leaves a puffy round bump that is often itchy. This is a sign that female mosquitoes have taken an interest in the skin and may spread diseases such as malaria, dengue, Zika, Rift Valley fever, and chikungunya.

Oxitec's Approval to Curb Local Mosquito Population

Oxitec, a British biotech firm, this week announced that it has received EPA approval for its genetically modified male mosquitos that are set to be released in parts of California and Florida, following the recent completion of the biotech firm's pilot program last year. Modified male mosquitoes were designed to produce only infertile offspring. Ideally, this would be a humane way of reducing the local mosquito population and bringing down the rates of mosquito-borne diseases.

OX5034 species - the codename for Oxitec's modified male mosquitoes - are derived from the Aedes aegypti, a well-known carrier of various diseases including yellow fever, Zika, and dengue. When the mosquitoes mate with native females, they will produce female larvae that die off before ever reaching adulthood, which will doom the population as a whole.

Likewise, since only female mosquitoes bite and suck human blood, the genetically modified insects are believed to pose no danger to people in the vicinity.

Last year, after securing local authorities and EPA approval, Oxitec launched a pilot program where they released millions of mosquitoes in select areas in Florida, in collaboration with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District. On Wednesday, the biotech firm announced receiving EPA approval to continue the program and for a new California-based program. The decision allows roughly 2 billion mosquitoes to be released across both states.

In a statement, Oxitec's CEO, Grey Frandsen says that the team is proud to receive another milestone approval from the US EPA. Where the expansion of their US efforts mirrors the strong partnership developed with a diverse range of local, state, and national stakeholders.

Oxitec's Plan to Crack Down on Mosquito Population and Illnesses

The British biotech firm's method is one of the latest examples of sterile insect techniques. Previously, this has been used to reduce or eradicate populations of harmful pests, like screw flies. However, the program has faced controversy with some Florida residents protesting the release of genetically modified mosquitos. While other groups maintain that the mosquitoes may pose unknown detrimental health or environmental risks. Others argue that local agencies and the EPA haven't done enough to ensure the project's transparency, reports Gizmodo.

A paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, titled "Editorial Expression of Concern: Transgenic Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Transfer Genes into a Natural Population" drew attention after claiming that a small percentage of the Oxitec mosquito offsprings in Brazil survived and began spreading their genes to the rest of the local mosquito population. However, the paper soon received criticism from other experts after lacking compelling evidence to support its claims.