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(CNN) – By giving mosquitoes dietary drugs, they could be prevented from biting humans and spreading deadly diseases, according to a new study.
Scientists have discovered that female mosquitoes, which transmit microbes that kill millions of people each year, lose interest in human blood if their appetite is suppressed with chemicals.
The study, which is still in its infancy, was published in the journal Cell. He has shown that by manipulating the hormones that make mosquitoes feel full, the desire for blood from insects can be satisfied.
"We were impressed and amazed by the fact that drugs designed to affect human appetite can completely suppress mosquito appetite," study author Leslie Vosshall said in a statement.
Scientists have conducted experiments on Aedes aegypti female mosquitoes, which require human blood to produce the protein they need to produce their eggs. This species is responsible for the spread of yellow fever, dengue and Zika virus.
However, researchers noted that once these mosquitoes have fed on human blood and swelled, their appeal to humans declines for several days.
"It's like the ultimate dinner for Thanskgiving," said Laura Duvall, author of the study.
The team of researchers at Rockefeller University in New York has focused its research on Neuropeptide Y (NPY) receptors, which regulate food intake in humans.
Scientists gave the mosquitoes a saline solution containing drugs developed by the pharmaceutical industry to activate and inhibit these receptors in humans. They found that the appetite and attraction of insects to humans decreased considerably.
They measured this by hanging a nylon stockings previously worn by Duvall long enough for body odor to be absorbed, and observing if mosquitoes were flying towards him. They also tested mosquitoes on mice to see if they would bite a live host, Duvall told CNN.
Scientists tested the 49 NPY receptors in mosquitoes with the drugs to determine which one was responsible for controlling appetite. They also conducted extensive tests on thousands of compounds to determine which ones could directly target mosquitoes rather than impact humans as well.
James Logan, head of the Department of Disease Control at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, described the discovery of this potential new technology as "exciting" and "intriguing".
"One of the biggest problems we have with mosquito-borne disease control is mosquito resistance to insecticides," he told CNN.
"A compound with a new mode of action preventing mosquito feeding could be useful if it is effective, logistically feasible, and sustainable in the field."
Logan warned, however, that "a lot of work remains to be done before it can be deployed in the field".
Paul Reiter, a former professor of medical entomology at the Institut Pasteur, also told CNN that the proposed method was a "fascinating idea" and "very plausible".
He stressed that new ideas on how to fight mosquitoes are absolutely necessary, as scientists are currently "useless" to stop the spread of diseases such as dengue fever. He noted, however, that methods of transferring drugs to mosquitoes were "not too easy," but suggested that "sugar baits" might be a solution.
Leo Braack, senior vector control specialist at the Malaria Consortium, said the findings "represent a new direction for dealing with mosquito vectors of disease and their human hosts" and that "humanity needs new tools to contain transmitted infections. "
Braack added that "many things remain to be clarified and require additional research.
"How, for example, do such mosquitoes with reduced feeding ability compete with other wild individuals by producing eggs and raising their offspring … which requires many blood meals?"
Scientists in the study also noted that while initial research could provide a "new approach to controlling the transmission of infectious diseases," limitations remained.
Researchers know what drugs activate NPY receptors for mosquitoes in the laboratory, but they do not know what natural neuropeptides do in nature, Duvall said. The researchers nevertheless deciphered a list of nine potential neuropeptides.
Scientists must also continue their research to determine where receptors are produced by mosquitoes and how they can be activated naturally.
A technique should also be developed to successfully transfer drugs into mosquitoes in the wild.
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