Scientists at Oxitec mass-produced and genetically modified male Aedes aegypti mosquito eggs in a lab. The males were released into the wild to mate with females and pass along a gene designed to kill the female offspring, which are the only ones that bite and spread the diseases. The male offspring live on.
The males that hatched mated with female mosquitos and some females laid eggs in the traps, as well as in flower pots, rubbish-bin lids, and soft-drink cans. “The firm reported that all females that inherited the lethal gene died before reaching adulthood,” Nature said.
Dr. Connie Says: This study holds great promise that we can eventually control vector-borne diseases. However, larger studies must be done to confirm this.