Friendly Aedes aegypti An effective tool to fight the mosquito that transmits dengue, chikungunya and Zika

Transcription

1 Friendly Aedes aegypti An effective tool to fight the mosquito that transmits dengue, chikungunya and Zika

2 What is the Friendly Aedes aegypti mosquito? It is a genetically modified male Aedes aegypti mosquito named OX513A, which is also known as the Friendly Aedes aegypti. The Friendly Aedes aegypti can be released in selected areas to fight the dengue, chikungunya and Zika mosquito. This is a safe and environmentally friendly solution that aims to improve residents lives.

3 How does the Friendly Aedes aegypti mosquito work? Friendly Aedes aegypti are released to seek out and mate with the wild female mosquitoes. Their descendants inherit the additional genes and die before reaching adulthood. This reduces the wild Aedes aegypti population in the following generation. Friendly Aedes aegypti Male Wild Aedes aegypti Female Offspring die

4 Our solution Public engagement Oxitec and local public health agents will work together to inform the community about the Friendly Aedes aegypti releases and answer questions about the project. Releases In the chosen area, the Friendly Aedes aegypti will be released, typically 3 times a week. The Friendly Aedes aegypti are males that cannot bite or transmit diseases. They mate with females and the offspring die. Results Oxitec s solution has already suppressed the Aedes aegypti mosquito by over 90% in five locations. These results are in comparison with nearby untreated sites and so are independent of seasonal effects. East End (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands) Itaberaba (Juazeiro, Brazil) Mandacaru (Juazeiro, Brazil) Pedra Branca (Jacobina, Brazil) Nuevo Chorrillo (Panama City, Panama) -96% -93% -99% -92% -93% Project led by the Cayman Mosquito Research and Control Unit Projects led by the University of Sao Paulo and the social organisation Moscamed Project led by the Gorgas Memorial Institute for Human Health All projects received technical support from Oxitec

5 How the Friendly Aedes aegypti can help fight the mosquito that transmits dengue, chikungunya and Zika. 0,4 0,3 0,2 Successful Aedes aegypti reduction 0, Monitoring Traps for Aedes aegypti eggs are used to monitor the number of wild and Friendly Aedes aegypti offspring. These data allow Oxitec to adjust the release rate of Friendly Aedes aegypti and so ensure the reduction of wild Aedes aegypti. Benefits Results The progress of the solution is tracked by an online system and other tools. This allows a detailed analysis of the results and optimisation of control using the Friendly Aedes aegypti mosquito. $ Safe: Male mosquitoes cannot bite or transmit diseases. The additional genes do not produce toxins or allergens. Effective: Reduces the population of wild Aedes aegypti and sustains it at a level below the theoretical threshold for an epidemic of dengue. Environment: Does not reproduce with other species. Cannot establish in the environment. Released mosquitoes die in a few days. Monitoring: Marker gene enables the mating rate to be monitored and the release rate to be adjusted to ensure success. Cost-benefit: Economical at a scale from a neighbourhood to a city. Integrates well with other tools. Can succeed where other tools are failing.

6 How the Friendly Aedes aegypti was developed In the laboratory, in 2002, Aedes aegypti eggs were injected with two genes: one is a self limiting gene that produces a protein that prevents the mosquito from reaching adulthood unless it receives an antidote. The other is a marker gene that produces a protein that fluoresces and can be viewed under a specific light using a microscope. The Friendly Aedes aegypti strain was developed so their descendants carry these additional genes. Self limiting gene Marker gene Friendly Aedes aegypti pupae viewed under a specific light using a microscope How the Friendly Aedes aegypti is produced Oxitec maintains colonies of the Friendly Aedes aegypti strain, including females, to produce genetically modified eggs of the next generation. Friendly Aedes aegypti colony Eggs EGGS LARVAE PUPAE The eggs are reared in water and they develop through larval stages and then become pupae. Males and females are sorted by size at the pupal stage. Females are discarded and Friendly Aedes aegypti males reared until adulthood to then be released into the environment. FEMALE MALE

7 Frequently Asked Questions How long does the Friendly Aedes aegypti mosquito survive in the environment? Studies show that it lives 2 to 4 days after being released. What happens when an animal eats a Friendly Aedes aegypti mosquito? It is digested by the animal in the same way as it would digest a wild Aedes aegypti mosquito. The additional genes don't produce toxins or allergens. How does Oxitec ensure the Friendly Aedes aegypti do not die during the production process? To prevent the death of the mosquitoes in our laboratories and factories, we add tetracycline to the water in which the eggs are reared through larvae to pupae. This antidote inhibits the action of the self-limiting gene that would otherwise cause their death. Is there enough antidote (tetracycline) in the environment so that the descendants of the Friendly Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can develop? No, there is not. What are the consequences to the environment if the wild population of Aedes aegypti were eradicated from Cayman? The local Aedes aegypti is an invasive species in Cayman, originating in Africa and is not a key species in any environmental food web. How can the Friendly Aedes aegypti mosquito reduce the incidence of dengue, chikungunya and Zika? A reduction in the wild population of Aedes aegypti is expected to reduce disease transmission. Theoretical models indicate that the level of control achieved by Oxitec's Friendly Aedes aegypti is easily sufficient to prevent a dengue epidemic. Where would the Friendly Aedes aegypti be produced in Cayman? The Friendly Aedes aegypti are shipped as eggs from the UK to the Mosquito Research and Control Unit in Cayman. The eggs are hatched in a rearing facility and reared with the antidote to pupae. The male Friendly Aedes aegypti are sorted from the females and then released. How is this project regulated? This project has received regulatory approval from the Dept of the Environment and the Dept. of Agriculture as well as the Cayman government. 9 Where is Oxitec based? Established in 2002 as a "spin-out" of the University of Oxford (England), it is headquartered in Oxford, England. It has operations in Campinas, Brazil, where it also has a production facility and a subsidiary in The Cayman Islands. Oxitec is a subsidiary of Intrexon Corporation (NYSE: XON), a leader in synthetic biology.

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