GHTM

Global Health and Tropical Medicine

  • GHTM
    • About GHTM
    • Governance
    • Impact
    • Members
      • Population health, policies and services
        • PPS PhD members
        • PPS non PhD members
      • TB, HIV and opportunistic diseases and pathogens
        • THOP PhD members
        • THOP non PhD members
      • Vector-borne diseases
        • VBD PhD members
        • VBD non PhD members
      • Individual Health Care
        • IHC PhD members
        • IHC non PhD members
      • Tech & Admin support
    • Scientific Advisory Board
    • Reports
      • GHTM
      • Scientific Advisory Board
      • FCT
  • Research
    • Cross-cutting issues
      • Global Pathogen Dispersion and Population Mobility
      • Drug Discovery and Drug Resistance
      • Diagnostics
      • Public Health Information
      • Fair Research Partnerships
    • Research Groups
      • PPS – Population health, policies and services
      • THOP – TB, HIV and opportunistic diseases and pathogens
      • VBD – Vector borne diseases
      • IHC – Individual health care
    • Research in numbers
      • 2023
      • 2022
      • 2021
      • 2020
      • 2019
      • 2018
      • 2017
    • Projects
      • Ongoing Projects
      • Completed Projects
  • Outreach
    • Events
    • News
    • Policy Support & Community Outreach
  • Publications
    • 2024
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
  • Capacity Building
    • Education
      • Master Theses
      • PhD Theses
    • International
  • Infrastructures
  • Networks & Partnerships
Home / Articles / Dengue prevention using genetically modified mosquitoes – current facts, literacy and public opinions

Dengue prevention using genetically modified mosquitoes – current facts, literacy and public opinions

November 10, 2015

banner-carla-2-01

Carla Sousa’s (PI) Research Project entitled “Dengue prevention using genetically modified mosquitoes – current facts, literacy and public opinions” received approval for funding from FCT (PTDC/IVC-ESCT/2486/2014).

The project aims at providing objective theoretical grounding and experimental evidence to support decision-making regarding the adoption/rejection of genetic vector control strategies for Dengue/Chikungunya prevention.

Aedes aegypti was recently detected in Madeira Island (Portugal) and A. albopictus have repeatedly arrived and spread throughout European territories. The tools for control and prevention of Dengue and Chikungunya are very limited. There are no specific anti-viral treatment or vaccines, and prevention is based on lowering mosquito densities bellow epidemiological dangerous levels. This is mainly achieved by source reduction activities through the elimination mosquitos breeding sites, most of them located inside and in the surrounding of houses, or by the application of insecticides. The first approach, requires a long-term community engagement to be effective; the second beside the environmental hazards associated, is commonly ineffective due to the presence of insecticide resistance in mosquitoes populations.

Genetically modified mosquitoes (GMM), a.k.a. transgenic mosquitoes, have arisen as a new approach for Dengue/Chikungunya prevention and control. Genetic techniques are able to modify mosquitoes in order to block the transmission of the virus or to supress natural populations by the dissemination among them of mosquitoes carrying a lethal gene. On the other hand, the release of GMM entails environmental and ethical complexities. The decision to adopt or reject these approaches requires governmental approval and public acceptance. The latter is not only of ethical relevance but also critical for successful eventual GMM releases. Since these are performed in residential areas, it is known that they will be as effective as they have been tailored by local residents’ wishes, fears, expectancies and requirements. The use of GMM for disease prevention involves complex notions and technical vocabulary hardly comprehensible to most individuals. However, a minimum level of community’s literacy is required for an active participation in the public debate of this topic.

This project have the following objectives:

  1. to objectively collect and synthetize the critical existing information regarding the topic;
  2. to develop a tool to measure public literacy and describe literacy levels in two geographic locations of interest;
  3. and to explore public views and opinions in those regions regarding the use of GMM to prevent the introduction and spread of diseases.

Since this type of mosquito control strategy needs governmental approval,objectives 2 and 3 will be applied to common citizens and decision-takers (parliamentarian politicians).

Carla Sousa is member of Vector-borne diseases and pathogens (VBD) Research Group.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

About GHTM

GHTM is a R&D Unit that brings together researchers with a track record in Tropical Medicine and International & Global Health. It aims at strengthening Portugal's role as a leading partner in the development and implementation of a global health research agenda. Our evidence-based interventions contribute to the promotion of equity in health and to improve the health of populations.

Contacts

Rua da Junqueira, 100
1349-008 Lisboa
Portugal

+351 213 652 600

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Map

  • Events
  • Research Groups
  • Cross-cutting issues
© Copyright 2025 IHMT-UNL All Rights Reserved.
  • Universidade Nova de Lisboa
  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

    UIDB/04413/2020
    UIDP/04413/2020

 

Loading Comments...
 

    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok