A strain of the Aedes aegypti mosquito has been shown to be resistant to the vast majority of current insecticides.
If you were asked which animal causes the most human deaths annually, which species would you dare to say? It is possible that your answer was conditioned by the incredible mammals that existed on Earth or, perhaps, by crocodiles, which abound along the banks of rivers with the highest concentration of people, right? The truth is that none of them is the most destructive. The mosquito is undoubtedly the animal that kills the most people in the world. this is because their ability to transmit disease,
This is another problem in developed countries, but not so in developing countries. The provision of solutions to prevent its spread in a certain area is one of the main strategies that countries with more resources have to avoid standardization of diseases. Now, what if there is a class that is immune to pesticides? some researchers they have seen how there is a type that escapes any measure current on the market.
So let us see why this particular species is able to survive any kind of pesticide, Where lies the distinction for such immunity And of course, to what extent this bulwark against viruses can be particularly harmful to humanity. Here’s a super mosquito that has been able to develop a range of abilities to avoid falling into a trap of chemical products.
The dangers behind a new breed of mosquito that survive insecticides
Mosquitoes that have undergone a series of mutations that allow them to reduce the effects of existing insecticides belong to the family Egyptian temples, At the moment, samples have been found in Vietnam and Cambodia and according to the information of the researchers working on the first study, it is necessary to deepen the analysis prevent them from migrating across the Asian continent, After all, due to current globalization, it would not be strange to see units in another part of the world within a few months.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito is showing high resistance to some insecticides. Image: The Day
According to the findings of the study, which has been conducted by Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases, certain mutations of genes known as sodium channels make mosquitoes and other insects survive exposure to pyrethroids, This compound is commonly present in most insecticides, so tolerance to this substance makes exposure very likely.
One of the mutations in particular, the so-called L982W, is the one that has caused the biggest problems. Laboratory studies have confirmed how abnormal resistance is up to 78% of those mosquitoes which are currently found in the above mentioned 2 areas. This is a new variant that has apparently managed to circumvent current insecticides. The average increase in temperature worldwide will only encourage population growth, which will worsen the situation.
Of the solutions on the table, it’s worth mentioning Sterilization of part of the population Through genetic modification, an option that is not convincing to a part of the researchers as this measure could have an impact on the ecosystem in the medium term. Be that as it may, we will have to wait and see how this species develops to ascertain whether monitoring should be done on a large scale or, conversely, nature will be in charge of reversing this worrying division of mosquitoes .
