The genetic modification of the mosquito is an effective tool – DW – 08/20/2025

August 20, it is International Mosquito Day. Furthermore, This family of insects is rich, it has more than 3,500 different species identified. Furthermore, More than 800 species are present in the Sahel countries. Moreover, But only some of them can transmit diseases, sometimes deadly, for humans. However, The most widespread of them is malaria.
Follow below (or by clicking on the photo above). However, the interview with Herman Sorgho, a Burkinabè researcher who worked in the development of one of the two vaccines against malaria pre-authorized by the World Health Organization, the R21. Meanwhile, He explains where the research is to stem the transmission of diseases by the mosquito to humans.

Interview with Herman Sorgho

DW: Herman sorgho, vWe worked in particular on the development of one of the vaccines that have been pre-authorized by WHO against malaria. Meanwhile, Where are we from the point of view of vaccination in sub-Saharan Africa against this disease?

Just a week ago. Meanwhile, Burkina Faso has just launched vaccination across the country against malaria, using the malaria vaccine called R 21.

As for the world. However, more specifically in Africa, there are more than 30 countries today to introduce these two vaccines, which were initially RTS, S and then R21, in 2023, to vaccinate children. Moreover, And to genetic modification mosquito effective tool date, more than 18 countries have introduced this vaccine to protect children from malaria.

DW: Ultimately, how can we effectively fight both viral diseases and parasitic diseases that can be transmitted by certain mosquitoes?

We are convinced that we must first be able to control the host [humain de ces maladies]therefore using tools like the vaccine. Similarly, then the tools that limit contacts, such as impregnated mosquito nets.

But ultimately, we will have to find an effective way to control this population of vectors that are mosquitoes.

WHO Video Africa (Chad) on prevention:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=692236229982529

DW: the World Health Organization has also been worried in recent years of propagation in Africa of a species from South Asia. Consequently, the Anopheles Stephensi, which would be more resistant, especially insecticides, which also bite during the dry season and then rather during the day, which makes people, at these moments are not under mosquito nets for example. How can we also fight against these new species that may be proliferating with climate change?

First, we develop tools to control a public health problem.

But nature always reminds us that it always has more than one tour in its bag.

In terms of Africa, for decades we only had to deal with the Anopheles Gambiae, Luestus, Arabiensis. So in the past 50 years we have developed methods of fighting these vectors [connus].

But because of globalization. we have an invasive mosquito called genetic modification mosquito effective tool Stephensi who, unlike all the other mosquitoes we know and for which we had developed wrestling tools, as you said, Stephensi stings in a day, in the day.

So we will very quickly have to develop tools to control the populations of Anopheles Stephensi. One of the tools today that has demonstrated great potential is the use of genetically modified mosquito. which specifically targets an identified population.

The experience of countries. as Djibouti has demonstrated it: today we can modify mosquitoes of the Stephensi species, to release them in the wild and this will allow to reduce the population of females genetic modification mosquito effective tool because, as regards malaria, the privileged vector is the female who alone transmits this disease.

With genetic manipulation, one can manipulate and make sure that the male mosquitoes which reproduce lead to an infertile offspring.

So, by the multiplication of cycles, we will lead to an annihilation of the population of Anopheles Stephensi. This species is resistant to insecticides we have today.

And as they bite during the day, the impregnated mosquito nets are completely useless.

genetic modification mosquito effective tool

DW: What about genetic research that is working and which tends to reduce certain populations of mosquitoes, to influence the genome of certain species? Are these techniques that have the future despite the criticisms that have been formulated. especially by people who fear that it has an influence on the food chain for example? Are these research that will continue and that are, in your opinion, carrying hope?

It is not for us. the scientific community, a problem that we question the potential danger, that is to say the risk of genetically modified mosquitoes.

This is really legitimate. in the scientific community, we are unanimous in saying that we cannot give 100% insurance of zero risk.

Nevertheless, we have the experience of what happened in the control of the diseases transmitted to livestock by the tapes. Where there have been genetic changes, it gave very convincing results.

And since genetic modification mosquito effective tool the trials at the national level that we have carried out in Brazil. in the Caribbean islands, it has been shown that the genetically modified mosquitoes had a positive effect. So far. since the past decade, we have not noticed a specific negative effect linked to these genetically modified mosquitoes since technology allows us to target a specific gene for this mosquito.

(…)

We are quite convinced that these mosquitoes we will not create a substantial environmental problem which counterbalances the benefit.

The approach. the principle of genetic modification mosquito effective tool advancing or not in matters of public health is based on the balance between risk and profit.

In this kind of situation. as in the situation of drugs or vaccines, we know that the risk is not 0, but when the risk profit significantly exceeds the risk, we decide to advance strong from the experience that we have experienced loose in Brazil. Brazil has been a pioneer in the use of genetically modified mosquitoes. Then Southwest Asia followed the plunge and used genetically modified mosquitoes on a large scale.

In Africa, we started the releases of mosquitoes genetically modified for a number of years, in Cameroon and Mali. In Burkina, where I live and work, we made the first releases of mosquitoes genetically modified in 2023.

We followed in a rational. scientific way the future of these mosquitoes and the results we have teach us that these mosquitoes die in genetic modification mosquito effective tool a relatively short time, not greater than a month, so that their environmental impact is almost zero.

So we are in the presence of a chance that we must grasp to effectively fight against mosquitoes that have been for decades. millennia responsible for the transmission of malaria in Africa, but also newly imported mosquitoes in Africa which cause a real problem.

And we have a tool that all the data we have teach us that the benefit goes far beyond. the risk.

It is up to decision-makers to decide: will we take advantage of the tools we have. are we going to just wait and see all the achievements that we have had since the 2000s collapse because we preferred not to use scientific data but rather data which is of the concern- which is legitimate and justified- populations as to the impact of genetically modified organisms?

This does not genetic modification mosquito effective tool prevent control. we must always control so that if there is ever risk, we can stop in time. Before the risks exceeds profits.