With an army of 110 trillion soldiers scattered in almost every corner of the world, the mosquito is equipped with at least 15 lethal biological weapons and responsible for the death of 2 million people, on average, since the year 2000.
These are just some of the curiosities described by researcher Timothy C. Winegard, a doctor in history from the University of Oxford, in the United Kingdom, in the book “The mosquito”, which arrived in Brazil by the publisher Intrinseca.
“The mosquito does not harm anyone directly. It is the highly evolved, toxic diseases transmitted by it that can cause an endless wave of desolation and death. However, without it, these sinister pathogens could not be transmitted or vectored to humans or continue their cycle of contamination. In fact, if it weren’t for him, these diseases would never exist”, he says.
In an interview with CNNWinegard reflects on the troubled relationship between humans and insects today.
CNN: In 1955, Brazil eradicated the Aedes aegypti as a result of yellow fever control measures. At the end of the 1960s, the disregard for the measures adopted led to the reintroduction of the vector in the national territory. Did we miss the big chance to get rid of him?
Timothy C. Winegard: Not necessarily. There are new control measures, including genetically modified bacteria and mosquitoes, that could be implemented as a way to control populations of Aedes aegypti. The highly effective yellow fever vaccine was created in 1937, so public vaccination campaigns are also a totally safe and extremely effective safety measure. I am a historian, not an entomologist, geneticist or tropical medicine doctor. My book is first and foremost a history book about the global historical impact of mosquito-borne pathogens on game-changing events.
CNN: Mosquito-borne diseases are a major public health problem in Brazil, such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya and malaria. Do you think there is a lack of investment in scientific research to solve the problem?
TW: Mosquito-borne diseases are gaining more media and health attention and I would like to think that Covid-19 was a wake-up call to humanity that we do not always control our environments and our own destiny. These diseases are neglected because they mainly affect low- and middle-income countries. This is certainly one of the numerous problems and complications.
CNN: The World Mosquito Program uses the Wolbachia bacteria to prevent the transmission of dengue by the Aedes aegypti. Can fighting the disease and not necessarily the mosquito be a way?
TW: Yes, this certainly has the potential to fight dengue, which is currently the fastest growing mosquito-borne pathogen on the planet. The scientific community is using various methods to target disease-causing agents and selected mosquito species that act as vectors for these pathogens, such as anophelines with malaria and Aedes aegypti with your virus catalog.
CNN: What were our biggest blows in the battle against mosquitoes?
TW: Hard to say. Everything we’ve tried so far has apparently been thwarted by the mosquito and most pathogens, especially the five human malarias.
CNN: Should the science-documented impacts of mosquitoes teach any lessons about the relationship between humans and the environment?
TW: Yes. We are a species driven by arrogance and we think we are the masters of our universe. This is certainly not true. Sometimes we are our own worst enemies. Human population growth, densities, invasion of animal habitats and global warming lead to the emergence of disease-causing agents such as arboviruses, Covid-19, Ebola among an extremely long list of ‘overflowing’ microorganisms, which jump to humans and other animals.
CNN: What would a world without mosquitoes look like?
TW: Nobody wants or is looking for a world without mosquitoes. They play a key role in ecosystems and in maintaining the balance of nature. Of the approximately 3,700 species of mosquitoes, only a few hundred are capable, and with varying efficiency, of transmitting disease-causing microorganisms. Researchers are targeting specific species that are more lethal transmitters, such as the Aedes aegypti, for example. The world needs mosquitoes as pollinators and in the food chain.
Source: CNN Brasil
