GM Mosquito Release Commences in Grand Cayman - Seite 3

Working alongside MRCU staff, three Caymanians and a scientist married to a Caymanian, have been hired to work on the project.

Kenroy Millwood, Giselle Johnson  and Heidi Groves, all from West Bay, along with Isavella Evangelou, joined the Oxitec team a couple of months ago and are an integral part of the laboratory and fieldwork team.

"We are very excited to start this project and help make a difference in our community," said Kenroy.

The treatment phase in West Bay is expected to last around nine months and then be rolled out to other areas of Grand Cayman, subject to the relevant approvals. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are not affected by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

How the technique works 

The "Friendly Aedes aegypti" is a genetically modified male mosquito that cannot bite or transmit diseases. When it mates with a local female Aedes aegypti mosquito, the offspring die before being able to reproduce. Hence, with successive releases, the population of the Zika, dengue and chikungunya mosquito is reduced.

Further information

 

Diseases spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito 

• Zika virus is rapidly spreading into new countries and has caused a state of emergency in Brazil where it has been linked to a sudden increase in birth defects (microcephaly) and nervous system disorders (Guillain-Barré syndrome).
• Chikungunya swept into Central America and the Caribbean in 2014 with an epidemic spiking to over a million cases within a year.
• Dengue fever infects an estimated 400 million people globally every year with about half of the world's population at risk.
• Yellow fever is a major health threat. Globally, there are an estimated 200,000 cases of yellow fever, causing 30,000 deaths each year, with 90 per cent of cases occurring in Africa.

About MRCU 

The Mosquito Research and Control Unit (MRCU) was established in 1965 to suppress mosquito populations to minimise discomfort from mosquito biting, to protect residents and visitors from mosquito-borne disease, and thereby enhance the quality of life and promote the economy of the Cayman Islands. The department has many years' experience in utilising integrated control to reduce the risk of local transmission of mosquito-borne diseases.

About Oxitec  

Oxitec is a pioneer in using genetic engineering to control insect pests that spread disease and damage crops, and was founded in 2002 as a spinout from Oxford University (U.K.). Oxitec is a subsidiary of Intrexon Corporation (NYSE: XON), which engineers biology to help solve some of the world's biggest problems.

Press contact:

MRCU:

Catherine MacGillivray
[e-mail]
[phone] (office)
[phone] (mobile)        

Oxitec:

Matt Warren
[e-mail]
[phone]

For more information:

http://www.mrcu.ky
http://www.oxitec.com