Genetically engineered bacteria prevent mosquitoes from transmitting malaria.

According to a study published by PNAS,the genetically engineered bacteria were 98 percent effective in reducing the malaria parasite burden in mosquitoes. The study shows that genetically modified bacterium commonly found in the mosquito's midgut, this parasite that causes malaria in people does not survive in mosquitoes carrying the modified bacterium. The bacterium, Pantoea agglomerans, was modified to secrete proteins toxic to the malaria parasite, but the toxins do not harm the mosquito or humans. The aim of the study is to prevent the mosquito from spreading malaria to people,malaria kills over 800,000 people every year many of which are children. The genetically engineered P. agglomerans strains inhibited development of the deadliest human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei by up to 98 percent within the mosquito. The proportion of mosquitoes carrying parasites (prevalence) decreased by up to 84 percent.