The Diverse Techniques to Battle Illnesses Transmitted by Mosquitoes

The deadliest organism in the world does not have claws, giant teeth, or piercing eyes, nor is it as big as one would imagine. The most deadly organism is actually a mosquito. According to the World Health Organization, mosquito bites result in the deaths of more than 1 million people every year and these deaths occur more frequently in developing countries. Considering that there are a multitude of mosquito borne diseases such as West Nile Virus, Malaria, Yellow fever, and Dengue Fever it is transparent that mosquitoes have secured their dangerous reputation. The need for more advanced preventative measures are becoming increasingly required as the rate of mosquito borne infections have been increasing at a startling rate. The fear that turns the need for new preventative measures as a necessity is in association with global warming as it is likely that the increase in temperatures will directly result in an increase of mosquito borne diseases worldwide.

In the past, as humans have attempted to combat the difficult issue of preventing mosquito borne diseases, people living in both developing and developed countries have had numerous fluctuations in regards to mosquito regulation and public perception. The issues are also associated with ignorance, monetary funding, and the fear of previously implemented solutions that did not have the desired or prolonged effect. The issues that currently need to be addressed by the developing countries are associated with the preventative measures that have been and that are currently being taken and the only way they can be addressed is through the analysis of the multitude of sources that have been, are, and will be implemented.

Vector control research initially took place during the first portion of the twentieth century. According to the Journal Of The American Mosquito Control Association the first solutions that were put into implementation were based primarily on “source reduction, the use of petroleum oils, and the promotion of larvivorous fish” (1994). These solutions are not suitable for large scale issues. Their impact is only noticeable on a semi local level, and even then the effect of these solutions lasted for a limited time leading to the conclusion that there is significant room for technological improvement. This improvement is addressed during the second portion of the twentieth century where chemical larvicides and adulticides were considered to be a more effective and long lasting solution as noted in an all inclusive account by Takken, a professor and scientist with both the professional and educational background to provide credibility to his statements (2002).

There are two current solutions that share similarities to previous ideas implemented in the second portion the twentieth century in the sense that they incorporate technological advancements and chemicals. There are currently two solutions that are seen by scientists as being one of the more likely resolutions to the mosquito issue and in all likelihood will be implemented in the near future. The first being the nuclear tool: Sterile Insect Technique. According to L. Alphey, a highly credited researcher and scientist from New Biotechnology, SIT uses radiation to sterilize male flies, which are mass-produced in special rearing facilities. What happens is that sterile males are placed in a specific location where they end up mating with wild females and when the number of sterile males outnumber the reproductive ones, the overall population will decline (2016). The second solution deals with Nematodes. According to L. Alphey, Nematodes are microscopic animals which are usually harmful, causing illness in animals, but beneficial nematodes attack only creatures we want to get rid of, such as grubs or, in this case, mosquitoes (2016). It is more likely that the Sterile Insect Technique will be the most viable of solutions, more viable than Mosquito feeding deterrents and Nematodes.

According to The Fix, in order for individuals to protect themselves on a more local level they must follow several simple steps. Trash bins should be closed in order to help limit the risk of water collecting, remove standing water, repair leaky faucets, and make sure that all tarps and covers are pulled taut so that water is not collected. These preventative measures taken alongside the measures taken by the city and local government should help decrease the spread of mosquito borne diseases.The issue with the solutions that incorporate such new technology and ideas is that the research that backs generally provides no instances on what the long term effects of the solutions are. According to Jacobs Lorena a scientist who is published in Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2005): a book that addresses the methodology behind using bacteria to demonstrate the manner in which antiparasitic molecules in mosquitoes function in regards to both future and current strategies. The reason the masses sometimes tend to avoid these technological and futuristic solutions primarily has to do with how they do not know what to expect and they do not want to risk any more adverse health risks being associated with mosquitoes.“The public fears genetic engineering,” according to Arthur Caplan, the founding director of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU School of Medicine.

According to Insect’s review on Biological control of Mosquito vectors: Past, Present, and Future (2016), there are several biological strategies for mosquito-borne diseases and the ones that should be implemented should be eco-friendly, safe, and sustainable and can target a range of different mosquito species. Taking this mindset into consideration, it seems that a synergistic combination of strategies would cover several of Insect’s criteria for a solid and all encompassing Mosquito solution. What also needs to be kept into consideration is that “mosquito behaviour plays a key role in vector control programs and further knowledge regarding the chemical ecology of mate searching, swarming landmarks, and mate choice in swarming sites is required to improve control strategies”( Insect 2016).

Raymond St. Leger, a statistologist found that public perception for these solutions have been gradually decreasing as an increase in technology and lack of regulation has become more regular. It seems that because of how companies such as Ozitech are privatized and are essentially the only company attributed to the mosquito problem, people fear the unknown and the unregulated. There are no long term effects associated with the data that is given to the public and the rest of the data is locked away from the public’s prying eyes. Their worries and skepticism is understandable however when you take something like the Zika virus, a disease that has the ability to emerge in the time span of several weeks. There are a multitude of negative effects that outweigh the minute positives associated with hindering the implementation of these solutions due to public fear. As more of these diseases begin to emerge and the more outbreaks that occur whether they are due to an increase in temperature, human contact, or animal contact- change needs to be made and the only way it can is if new solutions such as the Sterile Insect Technique or the Nematode method is implemented.