Zika virus, a disease mainly spread through mosquitoes, is rapidly spreading throughout Latin America and many other countries, and is now threatening to spread widely throughout Northern America. With the threat of the Zika virus in America swiftly increasing, scientists, doctors, and political leaders are desperately searching for a solution to prevent a Zika epidemic. One possible solution that the U.S. FDA is now seriously considering is GMO mosquitoes, engineered by the Biotech Firm, Oxitec. The U.S. FDA is considering to allow the releasing of these GMO mosquitoes in Key Haven, Florida, but is waiting on the citizens to vote on it before giving its permission. Although the citizens of Florida are afraid of the Zika virus spreading in their state, there are so many fears of releasing the GMO mosquitoes that people are hesitant to accept this as a solution. Additional research is needed to understand the full situation of Zika and the GMO mosquitoes.
From the information presently available to us, we do know what the GMO mosquito and the Zika virus is, although we may not know all the affects of both on the human population. …show more content…
First discovered in 1947 in Uganda, the Zika virus is mainly transmitted through the Ades Aegypti species of mosquitoes, but can also be transmitted through sex and from a pregnant mother to her fetus. Although scientists and doctors are not sure of all the effects of Zika, they are sure that it causes brain damage and birth defects. The Zika virus had gone almost unnoticed for many years until recently when it began to spread throughout Latin America, and is now starting to spread to North America. According to Alexandra Sifferlin, “So far more than 400 Americans have contracted the virus while overseas, but with an estimated 40 million Americans traveling to Zika-affected countries each year—500,000 of them likely pregnant women—Zika will almost certainly spread locally within the mainland U.S. this summer.” (Sifferlin, 2016) Since not many solutions are known on how to stop the rapid spread of Zika, the FDA is considering using the GMO mosquito. The GMO mosquito, created by the Biotech Firm, Oxitec, according to Alex Nadding, is "...a strain of Aedes aegypti, with a 'lethal gene ' that would permit adults to mate but render it impossible for any of their eggs to mature..." (Nadding, 2014) Oxitec, using "a natural phenomenon whereby a certain version of a gene is passed on preferentially to the next generation and thus can quickly spread throughout a sexually reproducing population"(Pennisi, 2016) wants to release the GMO mosquitos, and thereby cause the mosquito population to decrease. Since mosquitoes are the main way the Zika virus is transmitted, it is hoped that when the mosquito population decreases the Zika virus will also decrease. According to Rob Stein, "Oxitec claims the mosquitoes have been able to suppress the wild population by more than 80 percent in one section of Piracicaba." (Stein, 2016) . Because of this success, the U.S. FDA is considering allowing the release of the GMO mosquitoes in Key Haven, Florida, but is waiting on the vote of the citizens of Key Haven before giving its permission. The citizens of Key Haven, Florida are torn in two sides, one side for releasing the insects and the other completely against it. The reason why some citizens are
From the information presently available to us, we do know what the GMO mosquito and the Zika virus is, although we may not know all the affects of both on the human population. …show more content…
First discovered in 1947 in Uganda, the Zika virus is mainly transmitted through the Ades Aegypti species of mosquitoes, but can also be transmitted through sex and from a pregnant mother to her fetus. Although scientists and doctors are not sure of all the effects of Zika, they are sure that it causes brain damage and birth defects. The Zika virus had gone almost unnoticed for many years until recently when it began to spread throughout Latin America, and is now starting to spread to North America. According to Alexandra Sifferlin, “So far more than 400 Americans have contracted the virus while overseas, but with an estimated 40 million Americans traveling to Zika-affected countries each year—500,000 of them likely pregnant women—Zika will almost certainly spread locally within the mainland U.S. this summer.” (Sifferlin, 2016) Since not many solutions are known on how to stop the rapid spread of Zika, the FDA is considering using the GMO mosquito. The GMO mosquito, created by the Biotech Firm, Oxitec, according to Alex Nadding, is "...a strain of Aedes aegypti, with a 'lethal gene ' that would permit adults to mate but render it impossible for any of their eggs to mature..." (Nadding, 2014) Oxitec, using "a natural phenomenon whereby a certain version of a gene is passed on preferentially to the next generation and thus can quickly spread throughout a sexually reproducing population"(Pennisi, 2016) wants to release the GMO mosquitos, and thereby cause the mosquito population to decrease. Since mosquitoes are the main way the Zika virus is transmitted, it is hoped that when the mosquito population decreases the Zika virus will also decrease. According to Rob Stein, "Oxitec claims the mosquitoes have been able to suppress the wild population by more than 80 percent in one section of Piracicaba." (Stein, 2016) . Because of this success, the U.S. FDA is considering allowing the release of the GMO mosquitoes in Key Haven, Florida, but is waiting on the vote of the citizens of Key Haven before giving its permission. The citizens of Key Haven, Florida are torn in two sides, one side for releasing the insects and the other completely against it. The reason why some citizens are