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Simon Grimm
@Simon__Grimm
When I stilled worked on biosecurity, I first learned about Debug, a Google project to reduce mosquito populations. Results from their Singapore pilot are now out. They crushed mosquito populations, reducing dengue infections by 70% in the process:
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Saloni
@salonium
There is no good reason for mosquitoes to exist in wealthy countries today. New technologies can get rid of the mosquito species that cause diseases like dengue, yellow fever, and malaria; and others can prevent them from carrying those diseases. worksinprogress.co/issue/mosquito So why
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Nicholas Martin
@meilaoban
What was the outcome on Wildlife? Presumably mosquitos are quite an important part of the food chains? Vaccinations seems a better approach, where possible
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Simon Grimm
@Simon__Grimm
It only impacts mosquito species that carry huma diseas. So the impact seems small? "Vaccinations seems a better approach, where possible" What about diseases where vaccines are not a good fit? West Nile, Malaria, and Dengue vaccines are not yet very effective.
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d11n
@d11n__
Mao tried this (with sparrows). It led to the Great Famine. Nature is complex. Few know the multi-order consequences of this.
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Paul Roundy
@PaulRoundy1
We don't need to eliminate all mosquitoes just the species that carry disease. The others are a menace, but provide important roles in ecosystems (e.g., they move protein down the ecosystem from large to small organisms).
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Güney
@vatlikacip
This is obviously great, but doesn't it risk development of resistance to the infection? For the anti-human mosquito species, we must aim for total extermination in my opinion. Anything less risks long term resurgence of population. Maybe gene drives can be better.
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Ludwig Bald
@LudwigBald
This is so cool actually, I want to eradicate mosquitoes, they are annoying, even if they don't usually carre diseases here! But I would need to read more about their role in the ecosystem.
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