Please help me out with this assignment, case study 3. You can use the articles and graphs on “case study 3“ file to finish this assignment. Thanks.

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H is to ry i s ﬁ lt h y w it h s to rie s o f p est c o n tr o l g o n e t e rrib ly , t e rrib ly w ro n g.

C on sid er, f o r e x am ple , t h e i n fa m ou s t a le o f h ow t h e m on go ose g o t t o t h e H aw aiia n

Is la n ds. T he s le ek c a rn iv o re w as i m porte d i n t h e 1 880s a s p art o f a p la n b y t h e

G en etic a lly M od iﬁ ed M osq u it o es: W hat C ou ld

P o ssib ly G o W ro n g?

The Zika virus could open the door for a new era of gene‑tweaking for pest

control and disease prevention.

AD RIE N NE L A FR A N CE

APR 2 6 , 2 0 16 | T EC H NO LO GY

James Gathany/ CDC / Reuters su gar i n dustr y t o s u b d u e t h e r a ts t h at w ou ld n’t s to p gn aw in g th ro u gh s ta lk s o f s u gar

ca n e.

M on go ose d o e n jo y a t a sty r a t s u pp er, w hen t h e o p p ortu n it y p re se n ts i t s e lf , b u t

th ere w as a p ro b le m : R ats a re a ctiv e a t n igh t, w hile m on go ose a re a ctiv e d urin g t h e

day . S o i n ste a d o f d ecim atin g th e r a t p opu la tio n , t h e m on go ose c a m e t o H aw aii a n d

fe a ste d o n n ativ e b ir d s a n d t h eir e gg s. T he r a t s c o u rg e c o n tin u ed u n ab ate d .

A ustr a lia i m ple m en te d a s im ila rly i ll- c o n ce iv e d p la n w hen i t i n tr o d u ce d p ois o n ou s

to ad s t o i t s s u gar-c a n e ﬁ eld s i n t h e 1 930s a s a w ay t o c o n tr o l c ro p -d am ag in g

beetle s. T he t o ad s t h riv e d a n d w re a k ed h avo c o n n ativ e s p ecie s, w hile t h e b eetle s

co n tin u ed c h om pin g aw ay o n t h e r o ots a n d l e ave s o f s u gar c a n e, j u st a s t h ey h ad

b efo re .

T od ay , t h e o u tc o m e o f t h ese a n d sim ila r p est- c o n tr o l e x p erim en ts r e m ain p ara b le s

fo r t h e f o lly o f h um an i n te rv e n tio n i n to c o m ple x e co sy ste m s. P eo ple h ave s in ce

b eco m e b ette r p rim ed t o s to p a n d a sk , “ w hat i f ? ” b efo re a tte m ptin g a n

en vir o n m en ta l r e sp on se t h at c a n ’t b e u n don e. B ut, “ w hat i f ” i s n eve r a n e a sy

q u estio n t o a n sw er.

* * *

T od ay , s c ie n tis ts d on’t n eed m on go ose o r t o ad s f o r p est c o n tr o l. I n s o m e c a se s,

th ey c a n j u st t w ea k t h e g en es o f t h e a n im al o r i n se ct t h ey ’r e t r y in g to v a n qu is h .

T here ’s g o od e vid en ce t o s u pp ort t h e i d ea t h at g en etic m od iﬁ ca tio n o f t h e A ed es

a eg yp ti m osq u it o , f o r e x am ple , c o u ld h elp d ra m atic a lly r e d u ce i t s p opu la tio n .

A ed es a eg yp ti i s t h e m ain v e cto r o f t h e Z ik a v ir u s, a m osq u it o -b orn e i lln ess t h at h as

p u blic -h ea lt h o ﬃc ia ls a ro u n d t h e w orld o n e d ge. I n B ra zil, h un dre d s o f b ab ie s b orn

to Z ik a-in fe cte d m oth ers h ave s u ﬀ ere d s e ve re b ir th d efe cts s in ce l a st y e a r. P ublic -

h ea lt h o ﬃc ia ls , w ho a re c a llin g Zik a a gl ob al e m erg en cy , e stim ate t h at n um ber w ill

c lim b w ell i n to t h e t h ou sa n ds i n B ra zil a lo n e. I n t h e U nit e d S ta te s a n d e ls e w here , a s

m osq u it o s e a so n r a m ps u p, p eo ple a re b ra cin g fo r a d d it io n al o u tb re a k s. At t h e s a m e t im e, i n a s m all F lo rid a c o m mun it y n ea r K ey W est, t h e F ood a n d D ru g

A dm in is tr a tio n i s a cce p tin g pu blic c o m men ts o n a p ro p osa l f r o m t h e b io te ch n olo gy

ﬁ rm O xit e c t o i n tr o d u ce g en etic a lly m od iﬁ ed A ed es a eg yp ti m ale s i n to t h e l o ca l

m osq u it o p opu la tio n . I f O xit e c i s s u cce ssfu l, i t s t e ch n olo gy c o u ld h elp w ip e o u t

A ed es a eg yp ti i n t h e r e gi on — an d p ro te ct p eo ple f r o m Z ik a t r a n sm is sio n t h ere .

O xit e c’s p la n i s t o i n je ct m osq u it o e gg s w it h D NA t h at c o n ta in s l e th al g en es, t h en

re le a se t h e g en etic a lly m od iﬁ ed m ale s f r o m t h at b atc h o f e gg s s o t h ey c a n m ate

w it h w ild f e m ale s. ( M ale s d on’t b it e ; s o r e le a sin g on ly m ale s i s a w ay t o m ak e s u re

th e r e le a se o f t h ese i n se cts d oesn ’t c o n tr ib u te t o t h e s p re a d o f d is e a se .) T he

oﬀ sp rin g of t h ese l a b -tw ea k ed m ale s a n d w ild f e m ale s, h av in g in herit e d t h e a lt e re d

D NA, c a n not s u rv iv e t o a d ult h ood . I f a ll g o es a s p la n ned , t h e m osq u it o p opu la tio n

sh ou ld s h rin k a s a r e su lt . T here ’s a lr e a d y g o od e v id en ce t h at s h ow s O xit e c’s

a p pro ach c a n w ork . F ie ld t e sts i n P ir a cic a b a, B ra zil, r e su lt e d i n a n 8 2 p erc e n t

declin e t o t h e m osq u it o p opu la tio n o ve r a n e igh t- m on th p erio d , O xit e c s a ys .

A nd t h ere ’s a c o m pellin g need f o r t r y in g to c o n tr o l t h e m osq u it o p opu la tio n t h is

w ay . A ed es a eg yp ti d on’t j u st s p re a d Z ik a, b u t a ls o d en gu e f e ve r, y e llo w f e ve r, a n d

ch ik u n gu nya v ir u s. “ A bou t 4 0 p erc e n t o f t h e gl ob al p opu la tio n i s a t r is k [ f r o m ] t h is

s p ecie s,” s a id A ndre w M cK em ey, a n e n to m olo gi st a n d t h e h ea d o f ﬁ eld o p era tio n s

fo r O xit e c. “ It’s k in d o f t h e r a t o f t h e m osq u it o w orld .”

“ It i s i g n ora n ce , d is tr u st, f e a r o f t h e u n kn own , f e a r o f

p rio r e ﬀ orts t o use bio lo gy t o c o m bat p ests w hic h w en t

so u r.”

B esid es a ll t h at, e x is tin g m osq u it o c o n tr o ls c le a rly a re n ’t e n ou gh —esp ecia lly i n t h e

U nit e d S ta te s, w here th e ﬁ gh t o ve r s ta te a n d f e d era l Z ik a f u n din g has d evo lv e d i n to

p etty p olit ic k in g, w it h R ep u blic a n s b lo ck in g em erg en cy f u n din g t o ﬁ gh t t h e

d is e a se . “ M y o pin io n o n h ow w e s h ou ld p ro ce ed i s w e s h ou ld a ggr essiv e ly p u rs u e

A ed es a eg yp ti c o n tr o l— bu t w e h ave n ’t s ta rte d t h at y e t, a n d I ’m n ot s u re t h ere ’s b een

th e p olit ic a l w ill t o d o i t ,” s a id P ete r H ote z, t h e d ea n o f t h e N atio n al S ch ool o f Tro pic a l M ed ic in e a t B ay lo r C olle g e o f M ed ic in e. “ It’s v e ry l a b or i n te n siv e . I t

r e q u ir e s g ettin g rid o f s ta n din g bod ie s o f w ate r, p u ttin g up w in dow s c re en s, a n d

doin g hou se -to -h ou se i n se ctic id al s p ra y .” T he c o ord in ate d e ﬀ ort t h at’s n ece ssa ry ,

H ote z s a ys, g o es b eyo n d a n yth in g t h e U .S. h as e ve r d on e t o c o n tr o l m osq u it o es i n

t h e p ast. A s t e m pera tu re s w arm a n d m osq u it o es e m erg e, i t m ay a lr e a d y b e t o o l a te

f o r a t- r is k c it ie s i n t h e s ta te s t o t a k e t h e p re ca u tio n s H ote z d esc rib es. W hic h i s p art

o f w hy t h e p ro m is e o f g en etic a lly m od iﬁ ed m osq u it o es i s s o a p p ea lin g t o t h ose w ho

su pp ort t h e i d ea .

B ut t h e q u estio n o f g en etic m od iﬁ ca tio n r e m ain s f r a u gh t— in p art b eca u se o f

le gi tim ate s c ie n tiﬁ c c o n ce rn s, b u t l a rg ely b eca u se o f m is in fo rm atio n a n d c u lt u ra l

re sis ta n ce t o g en etic m od iﬁ ca tio n m ore b ro ad ly . A p oll c o n du cte d b y t h e

A nnen berg Public P olic y C en te r i n F eb ru ary f o u n d m ore t h an o n e-th ir d o f

A m eric a n s b elie ve d g en etic a lly m od iﬁ ed m osq u it o es w ere t o b la m e f o r t h e s p re a d

o f Z ik a. ( T hey ’r e n ot.) O th ers h ea r “ g en etic m od iﬁ ca tio n” a n d t h ey t h in k Ju ra ss ic

P a rk ; o r t h ey b elie ve t h at j u st b eca u se s o m eth in g is n atu ra l, i t i s s o m eh ow b ette r.

“ T he p u blic f e a rs g en etic e n gi nee rin g. N ea rly a ll p olit ic ia n s d on’t u n ders ta n d i t ,”

s a id A rth ur C ap la n , t h e f o u n din g dir e cto r o f t h e D iv is io n o f M ed ic a l E th ic s a t N YU

Sch ool o f M ed ic in e. “ I d on’t t h in k t h e i s su e i s e co n om ic . I t i s i gn ora n ce , d is tr u st,

f e a r o f t h e u n kn ow n, f e a r o f p rio r e ﬀ orts t o u se b io lo gy t o c o m bat p ests w hic h w en t

so u r.”

“ C hem ic a l s p ra y m ay b e f a m ilia r, b u t i t i s a b lu n derb u ss,” C ap la n a d ded . “ O ld

t e ch n olo gy [ is ] h ard t o a im , o fte n m is ﬁ re s, a n d i s h ard t o m ain ta in . G en etic

e n gi neerin g of n asty i n se ct- p ests i s a r iﬂ e— ve ry p re cis e , l o w r is k t o t h e u se r.”

G en etic a lly m od iﬁ ed m osq u it o es m ay b e “ o u r b est h op e” f o r ﬁ gh tin g Z ik a v ir u s,

a cco rd in g to N in a F ed oro ﬀ , a m ole cu la r g en etic is t, a n d J o h n B lo ck , t h e f o rm er U .S .

se cre ta ry o f a gr ic u lt u re , w ho m ad e t h eir c a se i n T he N ew Y ork T im es e a rlie r t h is

m on th . B eyo n d Z ik a, m osq u it o es p ose s u ch a n e n orm ou s t h re at t o h um an h ea lt h ,

m an y s c ie n tis ts h ave a rgu ed , t h at t h e m ost s e n sib le t h in g to d o w ou ld b e t o w ip e

th em o u t— eve n i f t h e e co lo gi ca l i m pact i s u n kn ow ab le . “S eve ra l f a cts a re w orth b ea rin g in m in d,” t h e e vo lu tio n ary b io lo gi st O li v a J u dso n

w ro te i n a n o p -e d f o r T he N ew Y ork T im es i n 2 003. “ F ir s t, o u r c u rre n t m eth od s o f

m osq u it o c o n tr o l a re c ru de a n d k il l m ore t h an j u st m osq u it o es. A n e x tin ctio n g en e

at l e a st h as t h e b en eﬁ t o f b ein g pre cis e a n d c le a n . S eco n d, t h ere 's n oth in g s in is te r

ab ou t e x tin ctio n ; s p ecie s g o e x tin ct a ll t h e t im e. T he d is a p p ea ra n ce o f a f e w

sp ecie s, w hile a p it y , d oes n ot b rin g a w hole e co sy ste m c ra sh in g dow n: W e’r e n ot

le ft w it h a w aste la n d e ve ry t im e a s p ecie s v a n is h es. R em ovin g on e s p ecie s

so m etim es c a u se s s h if ts i n t h e p opu la tio n s o f o th er s p ecie s— bu t d iﬀ ere n t n eed n ot

m ea n w ors e .”

O xit e c, f o r i t s p art, c la im s i t s m eth od o f m osq u it o r e d u ctio n w ou ld b e m ore

e ﬀ ectiv e t h an t r a d it io n al i n se ctic id e a n yw ay , a n d w ou ld c o st a b ou t t h e s a m e o r

p ossib ly l e ss. ( M cK em ey s a id h e c o u ld n’t o ﬀ er a p re cis e c o st e stim ate b eca u se i t

c o u ld v a ry d ep en din g on t h e l o ca tio n , i t s h um an a n d m osq u it o p opu la tio n s, a n d

oth er f a cto rs .)

A technician from Oxitec inspects Aedes aegypti larvae in Campinas, Brazil. (Paulo Whitaker /

Reuters) And y e t s o m e s c ie n tis ts a re s till r a is in g qu estio n s a b ou t t h e p ro m is e o f O xit e c’s

t e ch n olo gy .

“I’m n ot s o c o n ce rn ed a b ou t t h e s a fe ty i s su es. I t h in k t h e b igg est i s su e n ow i s : I s i t

g o in g to w ork ?” H ote z s a id . “ It’s o n ly b een t e ste d a t a s m all s c a le . I t’s l o okin g

pro m is in g, t o s e e a n 8 0 t o 9 0 p erc e n t r e d u ctio n o f A ed es a eg yp ti m osq u it o es, b u t w e

don’t r e a lly k n ow w hat 8 0 t o 9 0 p erc e n t m ea n s . I t c o u ld b e t h at w e n eed a 9 9-

perc e n t r e d u ctio n t o g et a n i m pact.”

I n o th er w ord s, i s a n 8 0-p erc e n t r e d u ctio n i n t h e m osq u it o p opu la tio n e n ou gh t o

s to p t h e s p re a d o f Z ik a? T he s h ort a n sw er i s : W e d on’t k n ow .

“T he ve ry t h in g w e’r e re le a sin g i s d esig n ed t o d is a p p ea r

fr o m t h e en vir o n m en t w it h ou t a t r a ce .”

T he l e ve l o f m osq u it o s u ppre ssio n t h at’s n eed ed t o s to p d is e a se t r a n sm is sio n

d ep en ds o n a w id e v a rie ty o f f a cto rs , i n clu d in g th e m osq u it o p opu la tio n , t h e h um an

p opu la tio n , t h e a m ou n t o f d is e a se a lr e a d y c ir c u la tin g, a n d t h e p ro p ortio n o f p eo ple

p re vio u sly i n fe cte d , a n d t h ere fo re i m mun e.

“O ur t e ch n olo gy i s a b ou t c o n tr o lli n g th e m osq u it o p opu la tio n , s o w e d on’t m ak e

d ir e ct c la im s t h at w e’r e c o n tr o llin g dis e a se ,” M cK em ey, t h e O xit e c s c ie n tis t, t o ld

m e. “ Z ik a i s s o n ew t h at w e d on’t k n ow e x actly t h e p opu la tio n d yn am ic o f

m osq u it o es a n d h um an s t h at’s n eed ed t o s u sta in a n o u tb re a k . B ut i f y o u c a n r e d u ce

th e m osq u it o p opu la tio n s u ﬃc ie n tly , y o u c a n b re a k t h at t r a n sm is sio n c y cle .”

T he o th er b ig qu estio n i s : H ow s c a la b le i s O xit e c’s a p pro ach ? G en etic a lly m od iﬁ ed

m osq u it o es m ay h ave b een s u cce ssfu l a t r e d u cin g th e A ed es a eg yp ti p opu la tio n i n

P ir a cic a b a, w here O xit e c h as e x p an ded i t s t r ia ls t o c o ve r a n a re a t h at’s h om e t o

s o m e 6 0,0 00 p eo ple ; b u t w hat a b ou t m ore d en se ly p opu la te d a re a s, o r t h e

hun dre d s o f m ile s o f c it ie s a n d t o w ns a lo n g th e G ulf C oast?

“ In l e ss t h an a y e a r, f r o m o n e f e m ale A ed es a eg yp ti , y o u c a n w in d u p w it h a b illio n

pro gen y,” M cK em ey t o ld m e. “ W hat I ’m t r y in g to s a y i s t h e b io lo gy o f i t i s in cre d ib ly s c a la b le , a n d u lt im ate ly t h at’s w hy t h ese b u gs a re s u ch a p ro b le m —

beca u se t h ey ’r e s o p ro liﬁ c. T his k in d o f s c a la b ilit y i s n ot j u st t h at y o u c o u ld

t h eo re tic a lly s c a le u p t o c o u n tr y o r c o n tin en ta l s c a le ; i t h as b een d on e a n d i s b ein g

don e a gr ic u lt u ra lly .”

T here a re s u cce ss s to rie s i n a gr ic u lt u re — ste rilit y b y g en etic m od iﬁ ca tio n h elp ed

w ip e o u t t h e N ew W orld s c re w worm i n t h e 1 960s, w hic h o n ce d eva sta te d l i v e sto ck

in t h e U nit e d S ta te s. Si m ila r m eth od s h ave b een u se d t o s u cce ssfu lly ﬁ gh t f r u it ﬂ ie s

in t h e U nit e d S ta te s. S te rilit y a s t h e e n d-r e su lt o f g en etic m od iﬁ ca tio n h as o th er

b en eﬁ ts . F or o n e, i t b asic a lly m ak es a s p ecie s b re ed i t s e lf o u t o f e x is te n ce — ra th er

th an i n tr o d u cin g a n ew k in d o f p est t h at c o n tin u es t o p ass a lo n g it s a lt e re d g en es f o r

gen era tio n s. “ T here ’s a n i n here n t s a fe ty a sp ect t o w hat w e’r e d oin g,” M cK em ey

sa id . “ T he v e ry t h in g w e’r e r e le a sin g is d esign ed t o d is a p p ea r f r o m t h e e n vir o n m en t

w it h ou t a t r a ce .”

I n c o n tr a st, o th er g en e-m od iﬁ ca tio n m eth od s o f m osq u it o c o n tr o l m ig h t a tte m pt t o

a lt e r a m osq u it o ’s D NA s o t h at i t ’s n ot a s g o od a t t r a n sm it tin g a v ir u s; b u t i t w ou ld

s till b e a b le t o p ro d u ce v ia b le o ﬀ sp rin g. T hose a p pro ach es a re , M cK em ey t o ld m e,

“ m ore o f a g en ie -o u t- o f-a -b ottle s it u atio n .”

“ T he p ote n tia l b en eﬁ t o f t h at o th er a p pro ach i s y o u m igh t n eed t o r e le a se [ t h e g en e-

alt e re d m osq u it o es] l e ss o fte n , b u t t h e d ow nsid e i s s o m eth in g un fo re se en h ap p en s,

a n d i t ’s o u t t h ere ,” h e s a id .

Som eth in g un fo re se en i s n ’t o u t o f t h e q u estio n f o r O xit e c’s a p pro ach , e it h er,

th ou gh .

“Y o u c a n s ta rt t o fa n ta siz e a b ou t e ve ry p ossib le f a te o f t h at

g en e, b u t i t ’s i m pos sib le t o t e st a ll o f t h at i n a l a b .”

“ Y ou n eed t o b e c o n ce rn ed a b ou t w hat y o u d on’t k n ow ,” s a id R av i D urv a su la , a

p ro fe ss o r o f M ed ic in e a n d I n fe ctio u s D is e a se s a t U niv e rs it y o f N ew M ex ic o S ch ool

o f M ed ic in e. “ O xit e c’s [ a p pro ach ] i t s e lf i s ﬁ n e, s c ie n tiﬁ ca lly , b u t t h ere a re a lw ays th e w hat- if s c e n ario s. W hat i f , f o r s o m e r e a so n , i t d oesn ’t w ork — an d r e ve rts b ack t o

a w ild -ty p e s ta te ?”

W hat D urv a su la m ea n s i s , w hat i f t h e d esir e d g en e m uta tio n d oesn ’t t a k e, a n d

peo ple e n d u p r e le a sin g m ass q u an tit ie s o f n ew m osq u it o es t h at e n d u p m ak in g t h e

Z ik a p ro b le m w ors e ? D urv a su la c a lls t h is t h e “ m ost o b vio u s c o n ce rn ,” b u t h e a ls o

sa ys i t ’s i m pro b ab le .

“ It’s a ls o u n lik ely t h at t h is m uta n t i s g o in g to s o m eh ow m uta te a g ain a n d g iv e y o u

so m eth in g un desir a b le ,” h e a d ded . “ C erta in ly t h ere h ave b een s m all- s c a le ﬁ eld

r e le a se s w here i t ’s b een s ta b le , i t ’s d on e w hat i t ’s s u pp ose d t o d o, a n d t h ey d id n’t

w in d u p w it h b ir d -s iz e d m osq u it o es o r s o m eth in g els e w eir d . O xit e c h as g o n e

th ro u gh a l o t o f r ig o ro u s t e stin g, b u t t h ese w hat- if s c e n ario s— on e c a n ’t b e 1 00

perc e n t c e rta in t h at t h is i s f o olp ro o f.”

W hat i f , f o r e x am ple , t h e g en e m od iﬁ ca tio n e n ds u p a lt e rin g a m osq u it o ’s b eh av io r

— m ak in g it m ore a ggr essiv e , o r c h an gi ng it s h ost p re fe re n ce . ( I n t h e c a se o f A ed es

a eg yp ti , w hic h a lr e a d y p re fe rs h um an s , a c h an ge i n h ost p re fe re n ce m igh t n ot b e s o

b ad .) O r w hat i f t h e m osq u it o es e n d u p t r a n sfe rrin g th eir a lt e re d g en es h oriz o n ta lly

— to o th er n on -ta rg et s p ecie s, r a th er t h an j u st t o t h eir o w n o ﬀ sp rin g? T his i s m ore o f

a p ro b le m w it h g en etic a lly m od iﬁ ed b acte ria , w hic h h as a ls o b een p ro p ose d t o ﬁ gh t

Z ik a, b u t D urv a su la s a ys u n pla n ned h oriz o n ta l g en e t r a n sfe r i s u n lik ely t o c re ate

a n y i s su es a m on g A ed es a eg yp ti t h at a re g en etic a lly m od iﬁ ed t o b e s te rile .

“ Y ou c a n s ta rt t o f a n ta siz e a b ou t e ve ry p ossib le f a te o f t h at g en e, b u t i t ’s i m possib le

t o t e st a ll o f t h at i n a l a b ,” h e s a id . “ A nd o n ce y o u’v e r e le a se d a t r a it i n to a

p opu la tio n , t h ere c a n not b e a r e ca ll. T his i s w hat s c a re s p eo ple . P eo ple g et c re ep ed

o u t b y t h ese t h in gs.” That f e a r i s s ta n din g in t h e w ay o f e n gi neerin g A ed es a eg yp ti in to “ w ell- d ese rv e d

o b li v io n ,” s a ys C ap la n , t h e b io eth ic is t f r o m N YU . B ut f e a r m ay a ls o b e a b oon t o t h e

eﬀ ort t o g en etic a lly m od if y m osq u it o es.

D esp it e w id esp re a d m is in fo rm atio n , a b ou t 4 3 p erc e n t o f t h ose p olle d i n t h e

Feb ru ary A nnen berg su rv e y s a id t h ey b elie ve d g en etic a lly m od iﬁ ed m osq u it o es

co u ld h elp m in im iz e t h e s p re a d o f t h e d is e a se . A f o llo w -u p p oll b y A nnen berg , i n

M arc h , f o u n d 5 3 p erc e n t o f t h ose s u rv e ye d e it h er s tr o n gl y o r s o m ew hat f a vo re d

re le a sin g gen etic a lly m od iﬁ ed m osq u it o es t o c o m bat Z ik a. S eve ra l o th er p olls h ave

d em on str a te d s im ila r p u blic s u pp ort f o r t h e k in d o f a p pro ach O xit e c i s p ro p osin g i n

F lo rid a. A noth er p oll, c o n du cte d b y P urd u e U niv e rs it y a n d t h e A ss o cia te d P re ss,

fo u n d “ o ve rw helm in g” s u pp ort— am on g 7 8 p erc e n t o f t h ose s u rv e ye d — fo r u sin g

gen etic a lly m od iﬁ ed m osq u it o es i n t h e ﬁ gh t a g ain st Z ik a.

“ Y ou t a k e s o m eth in g lik e Z ik a v ir u s,” D urv a su la s a id . “ T hese d is e a se s t h at c a n

em erg e i n w eek s. B ab ie s a re b ein g b orn w it h d efo rm it ie s. T here ’s t h e t h ou gh t o f

se x u al t r a n sm is sio n o f a v ir u s t h at p eo ple b are ly u n ders ta n d. T alk a b ou t f e a r f a cto r.

T hen y o u s a y , l e t’s l o ok a t t h e t w o s id es o f i t ; w e h ave s o m e f e a r a b ou t t h ese

g en etic a lly m od iﬁ ed m osq u it o es, b u t w e’r e t e rriﬁ ed o f t h is d is e a se w hic h c a n

Genetically modified male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes at an Oxitec plant (Paulo Whitaker /

Reuters) sp re a d q u ic k ly — an d f o r w hic h t h ere ’s n o c u re a n d t h e v a cc in e i s s till b ein g

deve lo p ed . I f y o u w eigh t h ese , t h at’s w here p eo ple m igh t s a y g en etic m od iﬁ ca tio n

m ay b e t h e l e ss e r o f t w o e vils .”

“ T hin k a b ou t h ow p eo ple c o n tr o l m osq u it o es n ow ,” h e a d ded . “ D um pin g

pestic id es o ve r h un dre d s o f s q u are m ile s . .. d riv in g th ro u gh t h e c it y w it h c a n is te rs

o n m oto rb ik es, s p ra y in g w illy -n illy . T hat’s a n i n cre d ib ly t o xic a p pro ach . A s p eo ple

b ette r u n ders ta n d t h e s id e e ﬀ ects o f p estic id es, t h ey m ay s a y , ‘ W ell, t h is o th er w ay ,

th ere ’s n oth in g to xic a b ou t i t , a n d n o o n e’s d yin g fr o m m osq u it o es t h at a re s te rile .’

T he m ore t h ese o f t h ese k in ds o f d is e a se s s h ow u p — th e m ore b ig, b ig o u tb re a k s

aro u n d t h e w orld — I t h in k t h ere w ill b e a t im e w hen p eo ple s a y , ‘ W e n eed t o t r y

s o m eth in g new .’”

A BO UT T H E A U TH O R

AD RIE N NE L A FR A N CE is the editor of TheAtlantic.com. She was previously a senior

editor and staff writer at The Atlantic .

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