ESTIMATED range of Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti in the United States, 2016* MT WY CA CO HI PR MT WY CA CO 30 | INFLUENCE SUMMER/FALL 2016 a facility in Marathon, where the mosquitoes will be bred. They’ve attended meetings and given tours. Explained the ins and outs of how the process works, how it is safe and effective. And yet, there are still concerns. Michael Doyle, executive director of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, said there is a vocal minority in the Key Haven community opposed to the project. The lengthy federal review process — it took five years for the FDA to issue its final finding of no significant impact — didn’t help matters, creating serious planning and public relations problems. Surveys conducted over the years to gauge public interest showed between 10 to 25 percent of the population was against it, with the remainder of the population either for it or neutral. But as the project became more likely, Doyle said an intensive opposition campaign emerged. The outcry from the public convinced the mosquito board to put a non-binding referendum on the November ballot to gauge support. But voters in Key Haven won’t be the only ones weighing in. Two referendums will be placed on the ballot — one in Key Haven, and a second in the entire mosquito control district. “The people in Key Haven have gotten a lot of direct misinformation about the project, and they’re going to look at it differently from the rest of the population,” said Doyle. “There’s a lot of support for this. I’m convinced more than 50 percent (of people) are all for it, and some of them were angry we might cancel the project.” The recent cases of locally transmitted Zika could help convince residents there is a need. According to the Department of Health, 56 people were diagnosed with locally acquired Zika virus as of Sept. 8. Health officials believe ongoing transmissions are only taking place in small areas in two Miami Dade County communities, Wynwood and Miami Beach. The company still needs final approval before it can begin releasing the mosquitoes, which won’t come until after the November election. Doyle is hopeful the technology will get the support from the community, and said he believes it can be used elsewhere in Florida and the United States. And some top Florida lawmakers are already considering that possibility. A bipartisan coalition of 61 Florida lawmakers, led MA MA To effectively use insecticides, Parry said local mosquito control board and health departments would need to spray very close to homes and buildings — even inside them — to make sure to kill all of the pests. It’s not just a logistical nightmare, it’s impractical. Releasing genetically modified mosquitoes, on the other hand, allows the mosquito to fight against itself. The offspring don’t survive, which means the population quickly plummets. And with a smaller population the chances of mosquito-borne illnesses also decreases. It was a case of locally acquired dengue in 2010 that piqued the interest of the Florida Keys Mosquito Board. Considered one of the best mosquito control districts in the country, the director at the time reached out to Oxitec because they knew they couldn’t control the population with just insecticides alone. “Our technology is an area-wide control method, it can be used to treat an entire city,” said Darric Nimmo, the Florida Keys project manager. “This is where we can really make a difference.” For the past few years, Oxitec has been on the ground in the Florida Keys. They’ve built their males are producing. Under a certain light, the larvae turn red so that researchers can distinguish whether the male parent was a friendly Aedes, as they are lovingly called. That helps scientists track how well their males are producing, where they might need more mosquitoes, and how well the program is working. The success rate has been phenomenal. While insecticides can reduce a population by 30- to 50-percent, Parry said in an urban environment the Oxitec mosquito can reduce a population 90 percent in six months. “It’s a huge leap forward in efficiency,” said Parry. The reason the project is so successful? Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are known to carry diseases like dengue and Zika, are city dwellers. They’re lazy, stay close to buildings, and only need a tiny bit of water to breed. And they love humans, preferring to bite a human over an animal any day of the week. FL AL AZ AR GA IL IA KS KY LA MI MN MS MO NE NY NC ND OH OK OR SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV ID WI NV NM CT NJ DE MD NH RI IN PA ME HI PR FL AL AZ AR GA IL IA KS KY LA MI MN MS MO NE NY NC ND OH OK OR SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV ID WI NV NM CT NJ DE MD NH RI IN PA ME Aedes aegypti Aedes albopictus Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are more likely to spread viruses like Zika, dengue, chikungunya and other viruses than other types of mosquitoes such as Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. * Maps have been updated from a variety of sources. These maps represent CDC’s best estimate of the potential range of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in the United States. Maps are not meant to represent risk for spread of disease. These maps DO NOT show · Exact locations or numbers of mosquitoes living in an area · Risk or likelihood that these mosquitoes will spread viruses These maps show · CDC’s best estimate of the potential range of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in the United States · Areas where mosquitoes are or have been previously found CDC’s Response to Zika GRAPHICS: Courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
19137EE
To see the actual publication please follow the link above