Oxitec is a UK-based biotech
company that pioneered a whole new way of dealing with the deadly dengue fever. About 50 to
100 million people worldwide suffer from dengue every year, it is known as one
of the major causes of sudden death everywhere in the world. In the last 50
years, the number grew 30-fold. The major issue lies in controlling Aedes
aegypti mosquitoes, the carrier of the deadly disease.
Aside from dengue, Oxitec is also
dealing with agricultural pests that destroy farmers’ crops. The most
widespread pests include medfly, pink bollworm and olive fly. These pests have
caused significant financial loses to farmers worldwide.
Efforts to control the spread of
dengue virus, though intense, proved to be futile. Spraying mosquito repellants
and defogging offer temporary solutions. The mosquitoes have developed a
certain level of resistance to these chemicals. Furthermore, Aedes aegypti can
breed anywhere, even in water jars, vases – any vessels at home – making it
difficult to control.
Oxitec is using advanced genetics
in developing new solutions that would control the population of Aedes aegypti
and other harmful insects through a cost-effective, sustainable and
environment-friendly way. Oxitec has
developed genetically modified “sterile” male mosquitoes with a harnessed
natural instinct to look for female mosquitoes in the wild and mate with them.
The resulting offspring will not survive into adulthood. This results in a
major decline in mosquito population.
To monitor the effects of the
solution, Oxitec developed the system called Oxitec Control Program that will
regularly monitor the conditions in the dengue-infested areas. The program
gathers the data on the declining population of mosquitoes in the area.
Although Oxitec’s technologies
deal with insects, its approach is focused on one single specie – in this case,
Aedes aegypti. It does kill insects indiscriminately, like many conventional
insecticides. This assures the solution’s effectivity while maintaining a
healthy environment.
