In an effort to eradicate insect-borne viruses like Zika, dengue fever and malaria, the Florida Keys is becoming a testing ground using genetically modified mosquitoes. UK-based biotech company Oxitec has partnered with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District to help control the disease-spreading Aedes aegypti mosquitoes
The aim is to get the genetically modified males to mate and pass on a ‘self-limiting" gene which will hopefully in time reduce the mosquito population.
Florida has suffered from intermittent Dengue Fever outbreaks and the Zika virus in recent years.
