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scientist in Brazil are releasing genetically modify mosquitoes into the environment to combat soaring character of breakbone fever febrility in the country .
More than 1 million casesof the viral , mosquito - paste infection have been reported in the first two months of this year — 226 % more than were reported in the same period in 2023 . Various urban center are in commonwealth of emergency . For example , in February , Rio de Janeiro declare the irruption a public wellness emergency brake after the metropolis recorded more than 42,000 cases of the disease since the starting time of the twelvemonth , fit in to the Associated Press .
Brazil is currently grappling with a record-high number of cases of dengue fever, a viral infection that is spread through the bite of a female mosquito of the species pictured here.
Almost half of the universe ’s universe lives in areaswith a risk of dengue infection . In Brazil , thedisease is endemic , meaning it isconstantly circulating . Between 2003 and 2019,more than 11 million caseswere report in the country , with peak transmission usually pass off during the annualrainy season , from October to May . Unusually orotund outbreak , however , occur roughly everythree to four year .
Only1 in 4 peoplewho infected with the dengue virus modernise symptoms of disease , which include fever , cephalalgia and nausea . These symptoms generally clear within two to seven days . However , the disease can sometimes come along and become severe , lead to hospitalisation and possibly death .
There is no specific treatment useable for the contagion ; instead , medical care propose to palliate patient ' pain in the neck and uphold their vitals . The disease ca n’t be spread directly fromperson to soul .
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face with a rising number of dengue cases , health authorities in Brazil are test alternative approaches to control the spread of the disease , in addition torolling out a vaccine . These strategy include the use of genetically modified mosquitoes — an campaign spearheaded by biotech companyOxitec .
The company breed maleAedes aegyptimosquitoes — the species thatspreads the dengue fever virus to human race — that are genetically modify to carry a gene that kills any female offspring they spawn before the pests reach adulthood . Dengue fever is spread only through the bites of femaleA. aegyptimosquitoes , so releasing these modified mosquito into a neighborhood can help reduce the number of pests that can unfold the computer virus to citizenry .
The eggs of Oxitec ’s modified male mosquito are placed in boxwood and are prompted to dream up with the summation of urine . A. aegyptimosquitoes normally lay their eggs in moribund water — specifically , on theinner walls of containers holding the water , such as bowls or tire . Thus , Oxitec ’s box mime what bump in the wild .
The modified mosquitoes " fill in the cycle inside these boxes in about ten day and the grownup insects total out to do their work,“Natalia Ferreira , Oxitec ’s general manager in Brazil , told Reuters . The approach can reduceA. aegyptipopulation numbers by up to 90 % in region where the genetically modified mosquitoes are released , Ferreira told the news agency .
Oxitec is releasing these modified mosquitoes in numerous cities in Brazil , including Suzano in the state of São Paulo , which declare a DoS of exigency due to dengue febricity in February , Reuters reported .
Brazil is n’t the first country to receive Oxitec ’s designer pests . In 2021 , for illustration , genetically modifiedA. aegyptimosquitoes were releasedfor the first time in the U.S. , to contract numbers of wild , disease - cause mosquitoes in the Florida Keys .
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Separately , scientists have intentionally infect mosquitoes in some region of the world , including parts of Brazilandthe U.S. , with a character of bacteria calledWolbachia , whichreduces the mosquito ' power to diffuse breakbone fever .
There have been worry that these genetically modify mosquito sometimes raise workable offspring that can live topass on their genes to aboriginal worm , with unknown issue . But so far , there ’s no evidence to evoke this could harm humans .
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