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Expatriate Malaysia Health Guide -  
Dengue Alert in Malaysia

  Genetically Modified GM Mosquitoes to fight dengue in Malaysia

Alor Gajah (Malacca) and Bentong (Pahang) have been picked for the release of genetically modified (GM) male mosquitoes next month to fight dengue despite worries in some quarters. Between 4,000 and 6,000 GM mosquitoes will be released into jungles in the two areas to mate with female mosquitoes there.

The authorities expect this to result in the early death of the mosquitoes’ larvae, which will theoretically lead to a reduction in the number of Aedes aegypti.

They are initially interested only in determining how far GM mosquitoes, which can live for three days, can fly and how long they can survive outside of laboratories.

Research shows that mosquitoes can generally fly about 200m.

Biosafety Department director-general Letchumanan Ramanatha said the experiment was not aimed at finding out how many mosquito larvae died as a result of the release of GM mosquitoes.

Oxitec, a British-based insect biotech company, developed GM mosquitoes.

A total of 38,330 people have been infected with dengue between January and Oct 9, with 117 lives lost to the disease. Therewere 32,560 cases and 72 deaths over the same period last year.

As of this month, there were 228 dengue outbreak localities nationwide, with 35 identified as hotspots.

The World Health Organisation estimates 50 million people worldwide are infected with dengue annually.

Souce: 2010/10/30 NST, GM mosquitoes to be released next month to fight dengue