Question

What are technical words that explain what Oxitec is doing at Moscamed?

Answer 1

For outdoor trials, these have been carried out by the Mosquito Research and Control Unit Cayman, the Gorgas Memorial Institute in Panama, the Institute for Medical Research in Malaysia, Moscamed and the University of São Paulo in Brazil. In each and everyone of the outdoor suppression trials the wild population of Aedes aegypti in the areas has been decreased by over 90%.

Answer 2

Answer:

Oxitec, short for Oxford Insect Technologies, develops and commercializes an effective and environment-friendly technology for controlling significant insect pests. Oxitec builds from research done in the University of Oxford and uses genetics and molecular biology to enhance the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) and thus, extend it later to a broader range of insect pests. Nowadays, Moscamed and The University of Sao Paulo in collaboration with Oxitec, are working in the evaluation 'Project Aedes Transgenico' (PAT)' which combats insects responsible for serious diseases such as dengue fever, carried by the mosquitoes Aedes aegypti.

Dengue disease represents a health challenge for Brazil. The Oxitec sterile insect approach has great potential and as in Moscamed are the experts in implementing sterile insects in Brazil, they have taken the lead in coordinating 'Project Aedes Transgenico' (PAT)'.

Phase 1 of the project involved transfer of engineered mosquito production from UK to Brazil.  Next, in Phase 2, success was demonstrated in controlling the mosquitoes that spread dengue disease in Itaberaba, a densely populated suburb in Bahia state in Brazil.

From the SIT technique, billions of insects have been genetically modified decades ago, breed in laboratories like Moscamed and released to mate. After a few days of releasing, these insects, all together with the eggs created when mating, will die.