352 ■ CHAPTER 19 Growth of Populations
ECOLOGY
Some reject the plan solely on the grounds that
it involves genetic modification (Figure 19.12).
“The public fears genetic engineering. Nearly
all politicians don’t understand it,” said bioeth-
icist Arthur Caplan at the New York University
School of Medicine, as quoted in a 2016 article in
the Atlantic. “I don’t think the issue is economic.
It is ignorance, distrust, fear of the unknown.”
Recent polls suggest that the tide may be chang-
ing: three independent polls found that between
53 and 78 percent of Americans support the
release of GM mosquitoes in the United States.
“I think it will work well,” says DeGennaro. “It’s
time we use modern methods here in Florida
like they are using in Brazil to reduce mosquito
populations.”Just the Beginning?
As of October 2016, Zika infections had been
reported in every U.S. state, with the exception
of Alaska. These infections are due primar-
ily to travel outside of the country. In Florida,
however, local infections continue; as of this
writing, 214 people have locally acquired the
virus since 2015.
The CDC continues to warn pregnant
women away from traveling to any area with
Zika, which now includes dozens of countries;
three U.S. territories; Brownsville, Texas;
and, of course, parts of Florida. As of the date
this book went to publication, there were no
approved vaccines or therapies for Zika virus
infection—but not for lack of trying. In June
2016, California-based Inovio Pharmaceuti-
cals dosed the first humans with a prospec-
tive Zika vaccine. Even if the trials go well,
however, it could take years for a vaccine to
reach the market.
It remains too soon to tell whether GM
mosquitoes will stop the spread of Zika. Success
will depend on population ecology: on mosquito
populations, the human population, and how
much virus is circulating among both. But
history suggests that in the fight against mosqui-
toes, it’s time to try something new.91 percent reduction in cases of dengue, accord-
ing to local officials.
In August 2016, shortly after the first cases
of Zika infection from local mosquitoes were
reported, the U.S. Food and Drug Administra-
tion (FDA) approved a field test of the Oxitec
mosquitoes in Key Haven, Florida. Critics argue
that the approach is too expensive, because
mosquitoes have to be bred and released multi-
ple times. There are also concerns that the engi-
neered gene won’t correctly insert in the genome
or will become somehow deactivated in the
wild. Release of such mosquitoes would simply
exacerbate the problem, adding reproducing
mosquitoes into the environment. After exam-
ining such claims, the FDA concluded that the
proposed field trial in Florida “would not result
in significant impacts on the environment.” In
a 3–2 vote in November 2016, the Florida Keys
Mosquito Control District approved a trial of
genetically modified mosquitoes, yet local oppo-
sition continues, and the district continues to
seek a location for the trial.Figure 19.12
Some Florida residents oppose the release of GM mosquitoes
in their community
Misinformation about genetically modified organisms, including mosquitoes,
has caused concerns about their use.