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Published online 21 May 2008 | 453, 435 (2008) | doi:10.1038/453435a
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Sterile mosquitoes near take-off
Malaysia prepares to fight dengue with GM insects.
Malaysia is looking to battle dengue fever by releasing mosquitoes that have been genetically engineered to be sterile. Although these efforts have stirred public concern, the country's Academy of Sciences is likely to recommend the strategy to the government within a month.
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Another approach to manipulating nature for the benefit of humans. Besides the potential effect of altering other species by transfer of this altered gene, has the effect of substantially decreasing this population of mosquitos on other species, specifically, birds and other larger insects, been studied? Do we know where these mosquitos fit into the ecosystem? Or will we again alter the ecosystem first and look at the consequences afterwards?
Any other suggestions? There is a chance that sterile mosquitoes could impact birds and larger insects, but I’m not sure the risk of that justifies delaying a potential solution for more than 50,000,000 people who suffer from a disease that has earned the nickname 'break-bone fever' because of the anguish it causes.
What is the 'root' cause of Dengue? A. aegypti.... No!!! It is the environment that allows them to grow. A. aegypti breeds primarily in man-made containers like earthenware, jars, metal drums and concrete cistersn used for domestic water storage, as well as discarded plastic food containers, used automobile tyres and other items that collect rainwater (from WHO website). I am AGAINST the idea of releasing mosquiotes that have been genetically engineered but to consider the idea of cleaning up our backyards.
If the mosquitoes are to be released in Malaysia this is an important opportunity to carefully quantify the effects of declining mosquito populations on other species.
While I do concur in principle to the environmental approach, it seems impractical in this scenario (initiating a nation-wide artificial habitat clean-up? How would this be managed, monitored, and assessed for efficacy?) especially given the public health value of the GM mosquito, and the time factor (time to implement vs. lives needed saving). Two factors are important in my approval of in this experiment: 1] The experiment is being conducted on an island (thought this does not absolutely preclude the spread of the species). 2] The GM insect is designed to self-terminate in the larval stage. That said, there should indeed be an adequate assessment of the potential impact of this new species on the existing ecosystem. Here's a (unlikely perhaps) worst case scenario: The introduced / infertile species (IS) successfully competes with the fertile one (FS), and, in 4-5 generations, completely supplants it. Let us assume that the IS lays its eggs in the same preferred habitats as the FS. Now, there are numerous water-dwelling invertebrates (like dragonfly nymphs) that eat mosquito larvae. So, say one of these ingests enough of the IS and "somehow" the mutated (infertility) gene gets transferred to the predatory invertebrate (perhaps indirectly through bacterial transformation/conjugation and subsequent infection of the new host)....making the invertebrate (or its off-spring) sterile, or, mutagenic....this creature then a becomes maladaptive, and eventually dies out, but being also a part of the food chain, the loss of this creature "ripples" throughout the ecosystem and permanently damages it. This above scenario (though a remote chance) and others, should be modeled (we have the computer power to do this quite well now) and evaluated before proceeding. But, assuming the evaluation is negative for environmental impact (including a change of food species), it is worth tying). Like it or not, we are now the agents of natural selection. But let us be wise ones. <br> MR
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Hi, Malaysia the bug that caries it is symbiotic. Plasmodium can be addressed in that it has one metabolic pathway of glycolosis which could be attacked. On my computer the inhibition of aldolase works. Regards Dr. Terence Hale
I read an article somewhere mentioning the involvement of gene defects in criminals as against normal human beings therby suggesting that probably criminals have to commit crime because it is in their genes!! Well just like yet another sci-fi movie I guess the day is not far when we will have "Human Criminal Terminators" too!!
The Malaysian authorities are surely jumping the gun and appear eager for a shortcut in battling dengue. Malaysia's biggest problem, and especially at the test site of Pulau Ketam is rubbish and garbage. The health authorities there despite being well funded are not taking serious steps to clean up the rubbish and containers where the dengue larvae breed. The Institute of Medical Research at Kuala Lumpur has a illustrious history in dealing with mosquito borne diseases. Malcolm Watson in the early twentienth century is credited in controling malaria thereby clearing the path for Malaysia's success in the rubber industry and the opening of Port Swettenham which incidentally is where the jetty to Pulau Ketam is located. Watson however went down to the field to actually identify the species and correctly deduced that environmental modifications like draining stagnant waters and the building of bunds was necessary for the eradication of malaria. Malaysia's current health authorities do not appear to have the initiative nor drive to understand and clean a hopelessly dirty environment in its cities, sub urban towns and Pulau Ketam that clearly is the cause of dengue. The use of GM mosquitoes will always have that small chance of breeding a super dengue bug...and if that happens, Pulau Ketam and Malaysia's nearby Port Klang, the largest Port it has....is in danger of having its operations affected, just as in 1901 when the port actually had to close because most of the government servants posted there died of malaria, forcing colonial Britain to headhunt Watson. Malaysia's biggest problem is its poorly run and fractionated public health service. It neither has the manpower to monitor the effects of this experiment and it surely doesnt have the resources to handle any ecological disaster that may stem from this experiment.