Genetically Altered Mosquitoes May Offer Hope to Control Malaria(1/2)

The spread of malaria" class="hjdict" word="malaria" target=_blank>malaria is like a two-way street. The disease is spread to humans through the bite of mosquitoes infected with malariaparasites" class="hjdict" word="parasites" target=_blank>parasites, the most dangerous of these being plasmodiumfalciparum. Uninfected mosquitoes become infected with the parasite by biting infected animals.

In sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia an estimated 300 million people are infected every year, more than one million of them are children, many of whom die. Years of attempting to cure the disease with antibiotics and quinine drugs have caused the parasite to become resistant to treatment.

Scientists are trying to come up with novel strategies for conqueringmalaria. One idea that has been around for a number of years is the creation of genetically altered mosquitoes that could be released into the environment.

The so-called transgenic insects would be resistant to infection by falciparum. Through breeding, the altered insects would gradually replace the population of mosquitoes capable of becoming infected with the parasite.