Saturday, November 13, 2010

Genetically modified mosquitoes being used to fight dengue

British scientists are fighting the dengue-carrying mosquito population in the Cayman Islands from the inside.

They have conducted outdoor trials in a small area of the British Overseas Territory, releasing three million male mosquitoes whose DNA had been engineered so that when they mate with wild female mosquitoes the larvae would die before hatching.

According to ABC news Australia, there has been mixed reaction to the technique.

Some say it could raise the prospect of eventually eliminating diseases like dengue fever and malaria.

However, critics say releasing genetically modified mosquitoes into the wild could have unpredictable and potentially damaging impacts on the environment.

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