Zika virus: the alert can bring back a diligent use of toxicant DDT
Zika virus, first discovered among monkeys, has been observed in a human being in 1955. The sickness directly caused by the virus is rarely mortal but in chase of infection concerning pregnant women serious deseases can arise: they can influence pregnancy and cause several children to be born with deforming heads and smaller brains.
The most significant vehicles for the virus are the Aedes mosquitoes. It has been observed in several American states: Brasil, Colombia, El Salvador, Guiana francese, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinica, Messico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Suriname and Venezuela. So we can say it is dangerously spreading.
Brazilian government has taken a decision: thousands of mosquitoes have been genetically engineered to pass a lethal gene to their offspring. So that this cannot become adult and infect humans. Actually this strategy is known and long-time-used even for malaria and other tropical deseases. But it is regarder as not the most effective.
Genetically modified mosquitoes
The cure for Zika does not exist yet, and it can take decades before scientists discover one.
The best job that can be done for now is thorough killing mosquitos, in order to avoid their spreadind action using the strong and powerful pesticide DDT.
Its first use is in 1939 against malaria. in 1948 Paul Hermann Müller did receive a Nobel Prize for the discovery of the "great effectiveness of the DDT as a venom against many anthropods".
In 1950, just a couple of years after, the Food and Drug administration declares "...very probably risks of DDT have been undervalued".
DDT is banished in the United States in 1972 and in 1975 in Italy.
IARC considers it nowadays a possible cancer-causing, 2B in its scale.
Dr. Lyle R. Petersen, representative of the American CDC, has recently explained to the NYT, that a circumscribed use of DDT concerning only walls inside buildings is not going to damage the environment; In the case of DDT return accurate diligence is needed.
Women in Brazil are advised not to get pregnant in these days, until the situation goes better. Those who are pregnant, are advised not to go to the infected areas. The alert is comparisable to what concerned malaria and dengue fever in the past: determinate political will is needed.
Women in Brazil are advised not to get pregnant in these days, until the situation goes better. Those who are pregnant, are advised not to go to the infected areas. The situation is worse than in the past for concerned malaria and aggressive politics will is needed.
