News

2018-12-01 |

Genetically modified mosquitoes: Malaria trial pays Africans to be bitten

Villagers in the west African state of Burkina Faso will be paid to be bitten by mosquitoes that have been genetically modified in an attempt to end malaria.

By monitoring the insects’ behaviour, researchers funded by $70 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, hope to move closer to eradicating a disease that kills 3,000 children every day, mostly in Africa.

Under the scheme 10,000 specially bred mosquitoes are to be released in the remote village of Bana, not far from the laboratories where researchers have carried out the genetic manipulation.