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Trial wipes out over 80% of Australian disease-spreading mosquito

csiro.au

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Re: Trial wipes out over 80% of Australian disease-spreading mosquito

#101

Post by pm90 »

billions wrote: post #50

It is theorized there is no adverse effect from killing mosquito species. There is always a counter-effect. Typically it's unpredictable. Mosquitoes FACILITATE transmission of bad stuff. I believe that if bad stuff is not transmitted, species evolve more slowly against pathogens. Species will still be exposed, maybe generations later through a scratch or otherwise. At that point, having never evolved a strong immune…

Too many human lives are lost directly due to this species. I'm willing to bear the risk of adverse consequences, if any are found.

Re: Trial wipes out over 80% of Australian disease-spreading mosquito

#102

Post by gus_massa »

cimmanom wrote: post #46

How long did they measure this for, and how long is that relative to the lifecycle / reproductive cycle of a mosquito? Is there any reason to believe the mosquito population won't quickly (or if not quickly, then eventually) bounce back?

Assuming they are like some flies that has been eradicated https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterile_insect_technique , the population would bounce back in a few years. You must repeat the treatment next year lower the population to the 5% of the initial population, and repeat the treatment the next year to reduce it to the 1% and repeat it a few years to reduce each time the population until it is completely eradicated. And then a few times to be sure.

And later implement some kind of check to avoid the reintroduction. Some countries that have a nice natural barrier have checks to avoid the introduction of fruit that may have flies larva. With mosquito, I'm not sure how the larva can travel from one country to another...

Re: Trial wipes out over 80% of Australian disease-spreading mosquito

#103

Post by [deleted] »

superflyguy wrote: post #85
avip wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are always complex consequences, but note that Aedes aegypti is human-introduced in Australia to start with. It's an intrusive species, it may be safe to eradicate.

Judging by the name it'll be safe to wipe them out everywhere except Egypt then?

[deleted]

Re: Trial wipes out over 80% of Australian disease-spreading mosquito

#104

Post by fipar »

TheSpiceIsLife wrote: post #80
dosy wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. Ecosystems are a delicate balance. Who knows what chaos will be unleashed by tampering with them? Especially species facilitating horizontal gene transfer. Pathogen vector may be only one of the functions of the mosquito. Perhaps by simply existing and occupying so much of a certain pathway they are keeping other pathogens at bay or preventing other viruses from evolving, perhaps down paths that, after the pr…

> Who knows what chaos will be unleashed by tampering with them? It's a good question. And the same thing could be said about any disease prevention strategy. What if the persistent presence of Polio is necessary for us to survive some future hypothesised outbreak? Imagination is the limit here. But we certainly do know the chaos that is unleashed everyday by not eradicating viruses that use mosquitoes as a vector.

> But we certainly do know the chaos that is unleashed everyday by not eradicating viruses that use mosquitoes as a vector.

Note however that here they are erradicating mosquitoes and not the virus.

Re: Trial wipes out over 80% of Australian disease-spreading mosquito

#105

Post by pm90 »

ABCLAW wrote: post #77
billions wrote: post #50

It is theorized there is no adverse effect from killing mosquito species. There is always a counter-effect. Typically it's unpredictable. Mosquitoes FACILITATE transmission of bad stuff. I believe that if bad stuff is not transmitted, species evolve more slowly against pathogens. Species will still be exposed, maybe generations later through a scratch or otherwise. At that point, having never evolved a strong immune…

This is why they're taking it slow; they're not worried about knock on issues with our herd immunity. They're worried about ecological collapse. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Pests_Campaign "The "Four Pests" campaign was introduced in 1958 by Mao Zedong, as a hygiene campaign aimed to eradicate the pests responsible for the transmission of pestilence and disease: the mosquitos responsible for malaria; the rodent…

Its important to differentiate b/w the plans of a politician and the plans of research scientists who have done actual work in this area. Mao's plans seem to have been a hare-brained solution to China's problems (and they're not the only one. Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap Forward cost more lives than both the world wars... and they were all Chinese lives).

Re: Trial wipes out over 80% of Australian disease-spreading mosquito

#106

Post by NamTaf »

pm90 wrote: post #99
twelvechairs wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If only Australia's CSIRO still had enough funding to do this kind of work itself rather than 'partner with' (i.e. contribute public funding towards the private investment goals of) for-profit companies. Amongst CSIRO's earlier inventions are 1960s insect repelent 'Aerogard', polymer banknotes and major components of Wi-Fi as we know it.

I don't see what the problem is if the for-profit companies goals align with theirs.

It's more a reflection on the fact that our governments have successively cut CSIRO's funding again and again despite their demonstrated return on investment and notable achievements.

Re: Trial wipes out over 80% of Australian disease-spreading mosquito

#107

Post by tim333 »

hayksaakian wrote: post #93
billions wrote: post #50

It is theorized there is no adverse effect from killing mosquito species. There is always a counter-effect. Typically it's unpredictable. Mosquitoes FACILITATE transmission of bad stuff. I believe that if bad stuff is not transmitted, species evolve more slowly against pathogens. Species will still be exposed, maybe generations later through a scratch or otherwise. At that point, having never evolved a strong immune…

Do mosquitos control other, more harmful pests that might see a resurgence if mosquitos disappear?

Humans perhaps?

Re: Trial wipes out over 80% of Australian disease-spreading mosquito

#109

Post by jacquesm »

hayksaakian wrote: post #93
billions wrote: post #50

It is theorized there is no adverse effect from killing mosquito species. There is always a counter-effect. Typically it's unpredictable. Mosquitoes FACILITATE transmission of bad stuff. I believe that if bad stuff is not transmitted, species evolve more slowly against pathogens. Species will still be exposed, maybe generations later through a scratch or otherwise. At that point, having never evolved a strong immune…

Do mosquitos control other, more harmful pests that might see a resurgence if mosquitos disappear?

The answer to that is a clear yes. But we're not going to go down without a fight.
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