By giving mosquitoes diet drugs, they could be prevented from biting humans and spreading deadly diseases, according to a new research. Scientists found that female mosquitoes, which spread the microbes that kill millions of people every year, lose interest in human blood if their appetites are suppressed with the chemicals. The study showed that by using the hormones which make mosquitoes feel full, the insects’ desire for blood can be satisfied.
“We were impressed and amazed that drugs designed to affect human appetite worked perfectly to suppress mosquito appetite,” study author Leslie Vosshall said in a statement. The scientists carried out experiments on female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which require human blood for the proteins they need to produce eggs. This species is responsible for spreading yellow fever and Zika virus. The researchers noted, however, that once these mosquitoes fed on human blood and became bloated, their attraction to humans would decline for several days. “It’s like the ultimate Thanskgiving dinner,” said Laura Duvall, a study author.
The scientists gave the mosquitoes a saline solution containing the drugs and found the insects’ appetite and attraction to humans dropped sharply. They measured this by hanging up a nylon stocking previously worn by Duvall for long enough for body odors to be absorbed, and observing whether mosquitoes flew toward it. They also tested the mosquitoes on mice to see whether they would bite a live host.
James Logan, head of the department for disease control at the London School, described the discovery of this potential new technology as “exciting”. “A compound with a novel mode of action that prevents mosquito feeding could help many people if it is effective.” Logan warned, however, that “there is a lot of work to be done before this could be used in the field.”
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