A ‘bio-safe’ way to fight mosquitoes

A ‘bio-safe’ way to fight mosquitoes

News

Researchers at the University of Arizona have discovered a protein that prevents mosquitoes from hatching, thus taking a major step toward developing a “mosquito birth control” drug

Important facts

1. Scientists selectively blocked the activity of the protein – which they named Eggshell Organizing Factor 1, or EOF-1 – in female mosquitoes
2. After that the mosquitos laid eggs with defective egg shells, leading to the death of the embryos inside

Significance of the discovery:

3. Developing drug targeting the protein could interrupt mosquito egg formation and reduce mosquito populations in areas of human disease transmission without harming beneficial insects such as honey bees.

Additional Facts:

Mosquito Threat:

1. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mosquitoes are one of the world’s deadliest insects
2. Malaria, a disease spread by mosquitoes infected around 216 million people in 2016, killing 445,000 of them
3. Other diseases spread by mosquitoes include Zika, chikungunya, yellow fever, West Nile virus and dengue