Stay ConnectedEver wonder how we genetically modify mosquitoes? Curious about the parasites? Have questions about how tick bites cause meat allergies? Tiny Vampires is a show about insects that transmit disease and the scientists that are fighting them. Each episode is guided by questions sent in by listeners. The question is answered with background information and the story of how scientists were able to shine a light on that particular mystery.
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Information on the genetically modified mosquitoes the residence of the Florida Keys voted to release. Including what modifications were done, how the modifications will control the mosquito population, and some of the scientific investigation on the effectiveness of the lethal gene.
Howard Hues Medical Institute video summary on how OX513A works.
Learn the process by which a line of genetically modified mosquitoes was engineered to reduce populations of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the wild. Viruses like Dengue, chickungunya, yellow fever, and Zika virus are spread by a species of mosquitoes called Aedes aegypti. To reduce the number of infections, health officials use various methods aimed at reducing mosquito populations.
All about the fluorescent proteins that were used in the GM mosquitoes.
Another video, this one was produced by Oxitec to demonstrate how they rear millions of mosquitoes and separate the males from the females.
The background on the vote in the Florida Keys.
The Third World Network wrote a piece on GM mosquitoes "Genetically Modified Mosquitoes: ongoing Concerns”
The US Food and Drug Administration's environmental assessment can be read here.
More information about the Screw Worm eradication in North Africa.
The music for this podcast is by http://www.bensound.com/badass
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An overview of the ecological importance of mosquitoes, the pros and cons of their eradication along with an example of how they change the number of birds in France.
Articles used for the podcast are:
Red flag for green spray: adverse trophic effects of Bti on breeding birds by Brigitte Poulin, Gaetan Lefebvre and Leire Paz
Mosquitoes: schemes to render them extinct are impracticable by Stephen M. Smith
Mosquitoes: first evaluate impacts of eradicating them by Jon D. Hoekstra
Mosquitoes: retain an ex situ population for ecological insurance by Ben Phalan
Mosquitoes: just how much biodiversity does humanity need? by Fern Wickson
Here's Why It's a Very Bad Idea to Wipe Mosquitoes Off the Face of the Earth by Michael Casey
Note: the mosquito pictured in the Vice article is a male elephant mosquito, which is of both the species and the sex which do not take blood.The idea of eradicating mosquitoes is a very old one, but even if we could do it, should we? Vector biologists and ecologists struggle with the data that we have and look for more but the decision is ultimately in the hands of our political leaders who decide whether or not to give the go ahead to eradication campaigns like the one in Florida.
The music for this podcast is by http://www.bensound.com/badass
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An introduction to vector competence and medical geography. How researcher discovered the vector of the Zika virus and how those mosquitoes arrived in the US.
Articles used for the podcast are:
ZIKA VIRUS I). ISOLATIONS AND SEROLOGICAL SPECIFICITY by G. W. A. DICK
HISTORY OF DOMESTICATION AND SPREAD OF AEDES AEGYPTI- A REVIEW by Jeffrey R Powell and Walter J Tabachnick
FIRST DETECTION OF NATURAL INFECTION OF AEDES AEGYPTI WITH ZIKA VIRUS IN BRAZIL AND THROUGHOUT SOUTH AMERICA by Anielly Ferreira-de-Brito et al
Medical geography has a very interesting history and close links with epidemiology. Much of the Zika virus work CDC medical geographers have done has been focused on its potential spread. As you can see from the maps they include both Aedes species to be as cautious as possible with the potential range.
Music for this podcast is by http://www.bensound.com/badass
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An introduction to your host, some podcast philosophy, and some key phrases you’ll need to know for future episodes.
Music by http://www.bensound.com/badass
Photo by Raven Forrest Fruscalzo: Larval kissing bugs during a behavior experiment
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