Burkina Faso Testing Genetically Modified Mosquitoes to Curb Malaria

BOBO-DIOULASSO, BURKINA FASO - The mosquito-borne disease malaria kills more than 400,000 people each year, the vast majority in Africa.

Target Malaria, an international group of scientists, is working in Burkina Faso on a genetic solution. Abdoulaye Diabate, with the West African country’s Research Institute for Science and Health, said the objective of Target Malaria is to develop a genetic control tool specifically applied to mosquitoes to be able to drastically reduce or eliminate the density of mosquitoes.  The scientists are genetically modifying mosquitoes so their offspring will be only male, and any females they mate with after release will also produce just males.