Should Mosquitoes Be Eradicated?

Mosquitoes as Deadly Creatures

• Mosquitoes are considered the deadliest creatures on the planet, even before the Zika virus outbreak.
• Gene modification technology raises the possibility of eradicating them.

Mosquito Behavior

• Only female mosquitoes bite, as they need blood as nutrients for their offspring.
• When biting, a mosquito probes the skin 20 times with its proboscis to find a blood vessel.
• A salivary tube delivers a protein to prevent blood clotting, allowing the mosquito to suck blood for 90 seconds.

Impact of Mosquitoes on Human Health

• Mosquitoes have likely killed more than half of all humans who have ever lived, mainly due to malaria.
• Today, according to the Gates Foundation, mosquito-borne diseases kill about 725,000 people each year, with 600,000 due to malaria.
• Mosquitoes are responsible for more human deaths than humans themselves, with an annual toll of 475,000 deaths.

Eradicating Mosquitoes

• Discussing the idea of wiping out mosquitoes raises concerns about "editing nature".
• Some scientists, like Professor Hilary Ranson and Professor Steve Lindsay, would not be sentimental about eliminating mosquitoes.
• However, a total extinction of all mosquito species would be impossible and senseless, as many species do not bite humans and are a vital food source in some ecosystems.

Targeted Approach

• Consideration is being given to wiping out only Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which would deal a devastating blow to Zika, dengue fever, and chikungunya.