The Development of Mosquito Eradication Technology: Ecosystem Impact and Concerns Addressed

Science has been developing technology to eradicate mosquitoes for a long time.

Various technologies are now increasingly proving their effectiveness outside the laboratory.

Some people express their reluctance to worry about the impact on the ecosystem. What is the position of the scientific community?

Reporter Choi So-ra reports.

[기자]

Scientists are breeding mosquitoes in the laboratory.

These are males who have been sterilized by irradiation, and even if they mate with females, no offspring are born.

Previously, in Cuba, an experiment was conducted in which 10,000 sterile mosquitoes were released, and the total number of mosquitoes was reduced by 90%.

The researchers plan to release 500,000 sterile mosquitoes to Argentina in November to increase the scale of the experiment.

[마리아넬라 가르시아 알바 / 아르헨티나 국립원자력위원회 생물학자 : 불임 수컷 모기를 점차 방사하면 질병을 옮기는 모기 개체 수를 줄일 수 있을 겁니다.]

In Australia, a technique has been developed that infects male mosquitoes with Wolbachia bacteria to render them sterile.

As a result of releasing mosquitoes in Indonesia and elsewhere, the incidence of dengue fever decreased by 77%.

Over the next 10 years, the research team plans to release 5 billion birds each year across Brazil.

A technology has also been developed to reduce the number of mosquitoes by inserting genes into mosquito eggs so that only male mosquitoes survive.

It was demonstrated in Florida, USA, and it was confirmed that 96% of female mosquitoes were reduced.

As such, countries are announcing the effectiveness of mosquito eradication technology and increasing the scale of experiments, but there are also voices of concern.

This is because the impact of genetically engineered mosquitoes or fungus-infected mosquitoes on the ecosystem has not been fully identified.

[배리 래이 / 유전자 조작 모기 실증 지역 주민 : 우리 지역을 위험에 빠뜨릴 거면, 주민들에게 희생양이 되어 달라고 동의를 구해야 할 겁니다.]

However, as the range of activity of mosquitoes is localized and empirical research is conducted only in limited areas, it is the scientific community’s position that it is unlikely to have a significant impact on the ecosystem.

In addition, the fact that studies so far have not shown any adverse effects on the ecosystem or humans other than reducing disease also eases concerns.

[더그 메이더 / 수의사 : 생태계나 인간에서 부작용 사례가 보고된 적이 없습니다. 모기 문제가 심각한 나라들에서 잘 활용되고 있습니다.]

With the expansion of temperate regions due to climate change and the increase in mosquito habitats, attention is focusing on whether mosquito eradication technology can be proven safe and commercialized.

This is Choi So-ra from YTN Science.

※ ‘Your report becomes news’
[카카오톡] Search YTN and add a channel
[전화] 02-398-8585
[메일] social@ytn.co.kr