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- Scientists use genetic engineering to eliminate malaria-carrying mosquitoes that make women infertile
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- Study from Imperial College of London and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
- Scientists selected Anopheles gambiae species of mosquitoes for the experiment
Millions of people die every year due to malaria around the world. Scientists have done a new experiment to reduce these deaths and reduce the cases of malaria. Scientists are making malaria-carrying female mosquitoes infertile using CRISPR gene editing techniques to control mosquito populations. Scientists say, this technique can prove to be a game changer and it can eliminate the deadly disease.
The Imperial College of London and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine is jointly doing research on this. For the first time, scientists are modifying the genes of female mosquitoes to make them unable to reproduce. For this, scientists have selected the Anopheles gambi species of mosquitoes. This species is responsible for spreading malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.
How to make female mosquitoes infertile, understand in 3 points
- Scientists are using CRISPR gene editing technology to make female mosquitoes infertile. With the help of this technique, changes can be made in that gene, which scientists want to change.
- In the case of malaria, the doublesex gene present in the female mosquito has been modified so that it does not remain viable for reproduction. During the experiment, there was a decrease in the number of mosquitoes within 560 days.
- Scientists say, gene editing with mosquito nets, insecticides and vaccines is a fast technique to eliminate malaria. It can make a big difference.
Only a few mosquitoes spread malaria in more than 3500 species.
Scientists say that there are more than 3500 species of mosquitoes worldwide, but only a few of them spread malaria. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 230 million cases of malaria were reported worldwide in 2019. More than 4 lakh people died. Most of these deaths included children under the age of 5. Scientists have feared that the death toll due to Kovid may double in 2020.
China free from malaria after 70 years of effort
After 70 years of continuous efforts, China has recently become malaria-free. WHO has announced this. In the 40s, 30 million cases of malaria were reported in China every year. China is the first country in the Western Pacific region, where not a single case of malaria has been found in the last 4 years.
Chinese strategy, which controlled malaria
To combat malaria, China implemented the 1-3-7 strategy in 2012. Targets set for healthcare workers. According to the strategy, it was made mandatory to report the case of malaria within 1 day. It was necessary to investigate this matter within 3 days and find out the danger from it. At the same time, it was said to take necessary steps to prevent the spread of this case within 7 days.