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Anonymous
China Fighting Zika and other Mosquito related Diseases 2016-08-02 14:13:33 Post No.
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China Fighting Zika and other Mosquito related Diseases 2016-08-02 14:13:33 Post No.
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China Fighting Zika and other Mosquito related Diseases
Anonymous
2016-08-02 14:13:33
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http://www.voanews.com/content/china-mosquito-factory-aims-to-wipe-put-zika-other-diseases/3445390.html
>GUANGZHOU, CHINA—Every week, scientists in southern China release three million bacteria-infected mosquitoes on a 3 km (two-mile) long island in a bid to wipe out diseases such as dengue, yellow fever and Zika.
>The scientists inject mosquito eggs with wolbachia bacteria in a laboratory, then release infected male mosquitoes on the island on the outskirts of the city of Guangzhou. The bacteria, which occurs naturally in about 28 percent of wild mosquitoes, causes infected males to sterilize the females they mate with.
>While a female mosquito that acquires wolbachia by mating is sterile, one that is infected by injection will produce wolbachia-infected offspring. Dengue, yellow fever and Zika are also suppressed in wolbachia-injected females, making it harder for the diseases to be transmitted to humans.
>Xi set up his 3,500 square meter (38,000 sq ft) "mosquito factory" in 2012 and releases the males into two residential areas on the outskirts of Guangzhou. Xi said the mosquito population on the island has been reduced by more than 90 percent.
Now I'm not saying that exterminating mosquitoes is a bad thing but it might have some unintended consequences. But you know what? Pull the trigger, I'm sick of these blood suckers. China for the win.
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>>64243
>unintended consequences.
This. But there are some points to keep in mind:
1. Mass-killing of mosquitoes has been used regularly in disease control for decades (sometimes even at near 90% reduction). The consequences to wildlife who feed on the mosquitoes seem to have been minor. Use of chemicals/insecticides for control (DDT was one example) has, as one would expect, caused an increase in mosquitoes resistant to that chemical, so any method for massive long-term use needs to be 100% effective (in terms of if the mosquito is exposed, it is 'infected', no exceptions).
But yeah, in general the collateral damage has been so little in previous tests that some biologists/ecologists have advocated eradication of certain human-focused species of mosquito (about 1% of species).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito_control
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If we rid the world of mosquito's then it'd cause a temporary change in the ecology. Certain animals that thrive on eating the mosquito's will suffer losses but with their diminished numbers their other prey will start thriving which will also start to increase their numbers.
Remember, life will find a way.
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>>64280
For my area, this would be green frogs. They can also be a bit of a pestilence, just in ways that are different from the mosquito. I certainly wouldn't object to eradicating the human-focused species. Just keep some DNA stored in case they ever have some sort of use in the far future.
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CHEESE BURGERS
WOLBACHIA
PARASITES
MALE TO FEMALE
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>>64243
>WOLBACHIA
>We're all demons now
>""I won't scatter your sorrow to the heartless sea. I will always be with you, plant your roots in me. I won't see you end as ashes. You're all diamonds...We are Diamond Dogs."
>*Cue Donna Burke
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>>64508
Fucking knew I recognised that somewhere.
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