Genetically Modified Mosquitos Could Be Used To Combat Zika Virus
The fight against the Zika virus could involve the use of genetically modified mosquitos, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed.
The idea is to produce insects that are rendered incapable of spreading the virus.
These would then be released into the wild in the hope that they would overtake the species that is spreading Zika.
The Zika virus is a mild infection for many and often passes with few symptoms, but it can be more serious for pregnant women and has been linked to birth defects, especially microcephaly, which results in abnormally small heads.
The virus has spread throughout much of South and Central America and the Caribbean in recent weeks, with isolated cases reported in the U.S., leading the WHO to declare a global health emergency.
While creating a new species that can’t infect people could help to halt the spread of the virus, critics argue that wiping out the existing mosquito species is ethically questionable.
The WHO is working on a range of methods to quell the spread of the virus including vaccines and diagnostic tests.
Image: Action Press/REX Shutterstock
Via: Science Alert
