Battle Brewing at Florida Keys – NBC6 South Florida

There is a brewing battle at the Florida Keys. It includes vampires who are spreading the disease. The fight to get rid of them is down at the Institute of Science.

Scientists will take months to experiment to stop the invasive species Aedes aegypti. What weapon did they choose? Genetically modified mosquito.

However, some environmental advocates are questioning the strategy.

This year, the Florida Keys had a dengue fever. This happened for the first time in 10 years. It gives new urgency to controversial efforts to get rid of Aedes aegypti, which is becoming difficult to fight.

Chad Huff of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District says mosquitoes are elastic.

“Aedes aegypti is a very hearty mosquito that breeds only around people,” Huff explained.

This species is from a small part of Africa, but somehow spreads around the world, including Florida. Mosquitoes carry illnesses such as dengue, Zika and yellow fever.

The Florida Keys mosquito control district has long been a continuous fight against mosquitoes. So far, nothing seems to stick.

“Pests are becoming more resistant to traditional tools that have been used to control pests,” said Meredith Fensom, an Oxitec scientist.

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Frontline of attack: Larvicide. If that fails, Plan B? Adult repellent. But what if this also stops working?

Oxitec was called to help mosquito control areas stop the spread of insects. What is your company’s approach? Fight mosquitoes and mosquitoes. The mosquitoes used in battle are genetically engineered.

“For our mosquito project, Oxitec will release our non-biting male mosquitoes. You will not be bitten by male mosquitoes. You have never been bitten by male mosquitoes,” Fensom said. Explained.

This is how mosquitoes are genetically engineered:

The self-limiting gene is first inserted into a particular egg and later transforms a new mosquito line.

Only male mosquitoes are released from this strain.

When GMO mosquitoes mate with invasive female mosquitoes, they carry self-limiting genes. Female offspring from these encounters cannot survive.

“This will cause the wild Aedes aegypti population to decline rapidly and significantly. In some recent projects in Brazil, reaching about 95% of the Aedes aegypti wild population in just about 12. I’ve done it for a few weeks. “

About 750 million male mosquitoes are released. The exact location is still being decided.

“When we start, we put male mosquito eggs in a small box, and we just add water to the box, and within about a week, these mosquitoes themselves I’ll release it, “Fensom explained.

According to Oxitec, GMO mosquitoes determine when they come out of the boxes, and these boxes are replenished or replaced almost weekly.

Mosquito control officials said the Environmental Protection Agency and other government agencies would approve the program.

“Many people look at this in different ways, and they yeah, let’s go ahead and see if it works as expected,” Huff explained.

Meanwhile, some are concerned about the environmental impact of this project.

Over 235,000 people have signed a Change.org petition to cancel the plan. And some advocacy groups, such as the Food Safety Center, want to dismiss it and criticize the EPA for approving the plan.

The group issued a statement in response to the project:

“Each EPA, FKMCD, or Oxitec is aware of how this unprecedented release of millions of GE mosquitoes will affect Monroe County or Florida as the EPA refuses to carry out its environmental impact statement. No. Before the EPA conducts the most basic environmental review, proceed with this Jurassic Park-like experiment to see how these GE mosquitoes have a negative impact on public health, endangered and endangered species. , Determine if the Florida Keys environment is illegal and totally irresponsible. “

Oxitec scientists say their strategy does not harm the environment.

“One of the great advantages of this technology is that it is environmentally friendly. We do not put harmful chemicals into the environment. We are targeting mosquitoes that are invasive and spread the disease, and bees and Beneficial insects such as butterflies are intact. “

The EPA issued this statement to NBC6.

“The EPA is available before granting licenses to field test the use of genetically engineered Aedes aegypti as a way to reduce mosquito populations to protect public health from mosquito-borne diseases. Performed extensive risk assessments based on the best science and considered public input. EPA does not expect the trial to adversely affect animals in the environment. Aedes aegypti weekly in the treatment area The number of mosquitoes should be monitored and sampled to determine how well the product works to control mosquitoes and to identify the modified gene. The characteristic is from the number of male Aedes aegypti over time. Disappearing. EPA also retains the right to cancel the EUP at any time during the 24 months in the event of unforeseen consequences. The court consistently states that Congress did not intend NEPA’s requirements. Claims (either an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement for application to EPA-registered pesticides) s Under the Federal Pesticides, Disinfectants and Pesticide Act.

Mosquito control officials say the program will take place early next year, before the mosquito season begins.