Thai Science Min seeks to eliminate mosquito-borne diseases

[webfact]

Ministry of Science and Technology seeks to eliminate mosquito-borne diseases

BANGKOK, 16 February 2016 (NNT) - The Ministry of Science and Technology is accelerating its efforts to utilize research developments regarding the elimination of mosquitoes to reduce the number of mosquito-borne dengue fever infections.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Science and Technology Narong Sirilertworakul spoke of research efforts to reduce mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases such as radiation sterilization which would help reduce the number of mosquitoes, leading to a decrease in mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever, chikungunya virus and the zika virus.

In another development, the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), has produced a bacteria called BTI which can hamper the development of mosquito larvae more effectively than the current substance being used, called abate powder.

In addition, the NSTDA has provided funding for the development of alternative vaccines such as milder dosages or vaccines with different DNA characteristics, which are currently being tested on animals.


-- NNT 2016-02-16

[leeneeds]

WHO the world over has ramped up the status of zika virus and the race is on to find a solution,

symposiums will be happening on line and in country ,

good luck, patience,

diligence and communication for us all to benefit, any additional help finding the right pathway

to combat the mosquitoes will be a boon for travellers the world over.

[eliotness]

These mosquitoes have been doing dreadful harm to mankind since the dawn of time. The use of such chemicals as DDT nearly eradicated them and other nasties in some countries in the 60s until scientists discovered that such chemicals get into the food chain and accumulate in mankind and other creatures. Work against mosquitoes has been the subject of ongoing research in many countries for decades. However now Thailand is going to solve the problem by themselves ! I wish them luck, but fear they'll fail. Besides mosquitoes don't need visas and unless all countries in the region work together there is no solution possible.

[NickJ]

Cement.

[DDbkh]

Wiping out mosquitos is not only a massive undertaking in a country with so much standing water but could also be detrimental to the environment. Mosquitos are one of the major pollinators and are necessary for the growth of many plants. Hopefully the Gates Foundation will find a way to eliminate the malaria parasite but dengue and now Zika show that mosquitos are very susceptible to acquiring parasites- finding a way to prevent this would be a wonderful thing for mankind and many other species. Meanwhile, as someone once said 'be careful what you wish for' if mosquitos are eliminated what will take their place?

[Strangebrew]

Hmm doesn't spraying a film of diesel on standing water work? Of course fogging seems to work in Hua Hin.

[leeneeds]

Females are the problem as they suck blood to fertile their eggs , the males live on sugars / nectar from flowers and do not bite,

as is so right eliminating completley would have far reaching effects we have not thought about yet, declining bee populations

around the world as pollinators has it self provided farmers with problems, careful collaboration is needed.

[Snackbar]

Now GMO's are OK?

[Inn Between]

It always amazes me how once a Thai is placed in position of gov't leadership, their egos often grow to such delusional degrees that they're convinced they now have the ability to do what's empirically proven to be impossible.

Thaksin's promise to entirely rid Thailand of all illegal drugs in a period of 6 months comes to mind most readily -- not that he didn't try. He had over 3000 suspect drug criminals gunned down in the streets, saving the taxpayers all that trouble of arrests, trials, and convictions. Of course, that didn't put a dent in the drug problem. Let's just hope this minister approaches his impossible quest to rid the country of mosquitoes with a little more thought than Mr' Thaksin did. I would hate to see unproven and potentially dangerous methods and/or substances used in his haste to prove himself wrong.

Here's a quote and link to the rest of the article that I think tells us why it wouldn't work:

"Really, why don’t we just kill all of them?

That solution, it turns out, is the stuff of science fiction.

Aside from the potential impacts on the ecosystem when a species disappears, “it is absolutely impossible to kill all the mosquitoes; it’s just not going to happen,” said Roger S. Nasci, executive director of the North Shore Mosquito Abatement District, a public mosquito control program outside Chicago. “No one in the scientific field today has any illusions of being able to eradicate the mosquito.”

The reality is no matter how big of a mosquito-killing effort cities and countries unleash on the pests, “there will always be a remnant population somewhere that will repopulate,” Nasci said.

It’s been tried before

In the not-so-distant past, there were notions of mosquito eradication, but history quickly taught us otherwise."

All of the article: http://wwlp.com/2016/02/15/why-cant-we-just-kill-all-mosquitoes/

Edited February 16, 2016 by Inn Between

[DM07]

They will of course accomplish, what thousands of people worldwide have tried unsuccessfully!

Because they are Thai and they are special!

They can also cure AIDS and Ebola!

...I am so sick of hearing this BS!

[DavisH]

BTI has been around years. Thailand didn't develop it. And the science minister won't be eliminating any disease anytime soon.

[jerojero]

Yep. Along side the Ebola cure they announced to the world last year.

[Redline]

Lol If it could be done, someone would have by now~probably not Thailand. If they can contribute to international knowledge, that would be great, but academics/researchers here don't contribute much because research must be submitted in the English language