Re: fungus kills mosquitoes

[Guest guest]

Jeanine,

Where do you find all this great info? This one sounds like the makings for

a good sci-fi movie. Now let me get this straight: There are these

creatures that suck blood from humans and in doing so, they spread the disease

of

malaria. So, the way to kill these creatures is to infect them with fungi.

But wait a minute, if you have creatures who are known to spread disease when

they suck human blood - and they now have fungal infections - isn't there a

chance they might spread fungal infection to humans as they suck the blood?

Sharon

In a message dated 3/20/2006 5:22:38 PM Pacific Standard Time,

jeaninem660@... writes:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4074212.stm, June 9, 2005

common fungus could be the newest weapon in the fight against

malaria, researchers have suggested.

A UK team found that it can prove fatal to mosquitoes which come into

contact with the fungus when it is sprayed onto surfaces.

The study in Science showed over 90% of mosquitoes were killed within

14 days of being infected.

However, other experts cautioned there would be difficulties in

ensuring the fungus was widely used.

Malaria kills at least one million people each year.

It is an extremely difficult disease to treat, as the parasite easily

becomes resistant to the drugs used to treat it, and the mosquitoes

develop resistance to the pesticides designed to kill them.

The University of Edinburgh and Imperial College, London researchers

looked at whether there was a way of halting the mosquitoes in their

tracks.

After the insects have fed on human blood, they find somewhere to

rest for a few hours - usually a nearby ceiling or wall.

The researchers wanted to identify something which could infect them

during this period.

'No resistance'

They tested a type of fungus from the species Beauveria bassiana by

applying inert spores directly, and as a spray, onto cage mesh.

When a mosquito touches the spores, the fungus germinates, penetrates

the mosquito and grows within it, eventually killing the insect.

Not only were over 90% of mosquitoes killed within 14 days of being

infected with the fungus, it effectively overwhelmed their body,

slowing the insects down so that in their last few days of life they

were less able to fly, and thus spread disease.

In laboratory tests, fungal infection reduced malaria transmission by

98%.

The key is to infect the insect as soon as possible after it has fed

on infected blood.

It takes about two weeks after this for parasite levels in the insect

to reach the point where they can infect another person bitten by the

same insect.

If the insect is killed during this time, then it would have no

opportunity to pass malaria on.

Professor Read, of the University of Edinburgh, who worked on

the research, told the BBC News website: " It seems this fungus is

eating them up from the inside. "

He said the formulation of fungal sprays used to protect fields from

locusts could be the model for anti-mosquito sprays.

Dr Matt of Imperial College, who led the study, said: " There

is no evidence that insects can develop resistance to fungi.

" However, even if mosquitoes were to become resistant, it is

extremely unlikely that they would also be resistant to chemical

pesticides.

" It should be possible to use the chemical and biological pesticides

together or in rotation to prolong their usefulness " .

People 'need convincing'

A second paper in Science, by researchers from the Ifakara Health

Research and Development Centre in Tanzania, the Swiss Tropical

Institute in Basel and Wageningen University in The Netherlands found

mosquitoes which rested on fungus-impregnated sheets in houses became

infected and died.

Researcher Kija Ng'habi said: " This technology needs to be developed

to be manageable and affordable. "

Dr Joe Lines of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

told BBC News website: " It is always great to have something new, and

the way this works is exciting. "

He said the fungus was unusual because it attacked adult mosquitoes -

most control measures tackle larvae.

But he said the fact that using the fungus would confer benefit on

the community, rather than the individual, would mean that people may

need a lot of convincing to use it themselves.

" When mosquitoes come into the house, some are young and will bite a

person, getting malaria to pass on to somebody else.

" Other mosquitoes will be old, and have already got malaria from

other people, and will give it to you. "

" So the fungus wouldn't prevent you getting malaria from the

mosquitoes which were already infected. "

[Guest guest]

Jenine,

After they spray the fungus to kill the mosquitos, then will they need to

spray fungicides to kill the fungus? And who makes both - the mosquito killing

fungus and fungicides...DuPont or Monsanto?

" There was an old lady who swallowed a dog

My, what a hog, to swallow a dog

She swallowed the dog to catch the cat

Swallowed the cat to catch the bird

Swallowed the bird to catch the spider

That wiggled and riggled and jiggled inside her

She swallowed the spider to catch the fly

I don't know why she swallowed the fly,

perhaps she'll die "

Products & Services:

Fungicides

Fungicides prevent and cure diseases which can have severe adverse effects

on crop yields and quality. The main markets are fruit and vegetables, cereals

and rice. Overall growth is expected worldwide and in developing markets in

the fruit and vegetables sector.

Plant diseases are caused by a great variety of pathogens. Accordingly, this

requires many products used in combination or series to control the full

range of problems in ways that minimize the chance of resistance building up.

During recent years, among few new active ingredients, an innovative

generation of fungicides - strobilurins - has been developed and introduced in

order

to improve the control in the key plant diseases like downy mildew, powdery

mildew, late blight, rynchosporium, net blotch and eyespot.

[Guest guest]

I thought this was pretty stange to, scary thought that they might

start spraying fungus to kill mosquito's. lol's I put some keywords

in my search and see what comes up, like, katrina mold, canser and

fungus, just try different combo's , its amasing what is out there

just waiting to be found. I also did a rss feed to this BBC, whick

give updates to my home page on theri new studies. and did the same

with healthday news, stuff like that. had to read how to do this

several times before I got it fiqured out. I also downloaded my web

2.0 which is very handy, you can save these sites for easy access. I

also made a rss feed from my web 2.0 to my 360, but I think I

have to invite people to my 360 before they can view my web 2.0

through my rss feed, havent fiqured it all out

yet.

>

>

> Jeanine,

>

> Where do you find all this great info? This one sounds like the

makings for

> a good sci-fi movie. Now let me get this straight: There are

these

> creatures that suck blood from humans and in doing so, they spread

the disease of

> malaria. So, the way to kill these creatures is to infect them

with fungi.

> But wait a minute, if you have creatures who are known to spread

disease when

> they suck human blood - and they now have fungal infections -

isn't there a

> chance they might spread fungal infection to humans as they suck

the blood?

>

> Sharon

>

> In a message dated 3/20/2006 5:22:38 PM Pacific Standard Time,

> jeaninem660@... writes:

>

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4074212.stm, June 9, 2005

> common fungus could be the newest weapon in the fight against

> malaria, researchers have suggested.

> A UK team found that it can prove fatal to mosquitoes which come

into

> contact with the fungus when it is sprayed onto surfaces.

> The study in Science showed over 90% of mosquitoes were killed

within

> 14 days of being infected.

> However, other experts cautioned there would be difficulties in

> ensuring the fungus was widely used.

> Malaria kills at least one million people each year.

> It is an extremely difficult disease to treat, as the parasite

easily

> becomes resistant to the drugs used to treat it, and the

mosquitoes

> develop resistance to the pesticides designed to kill them.

> The University of Edinburgh and Imperial College, London

researchers

> looked at whether there was a way of halting the mosquitoes in

their

> tracks.

> After the insects have fed on human blood, they find somewhere to

> rest for a few hours - usually a nearby ceiling or wall.

> The researchers wanted to identify something which could infect

them

> during this period.

> 'No resistance'

> They tested a type of fungus from the species Beauveria bassiana

by

> applying inert spores directly, and as a spray, onto cage mesh.

> When a mosquito touches the spores, the fungus germinates,

penetrates

> the mosquito and grows within it, eventually killing the insect.

> Not only were over 90% of mosquitoes killed within 14 days of

being

> infected with the fungus, it effectively overwhelmed their body,

> slowing the insects down so that in their last few days of life

they

> were less able to fly, and thus spread disease.

> In laboratory tests, fungal infection reduced malaria transmission

by

> 98%.

> The key is to infect the insect as soon as possible after it has

fed

> on infected blood.

> It takes about two weeks after this for parasite levels in the

insect

> to reach the point where they can infect another person bitten by

the

> same insect.

> If the insect is killed during this time, then it would have no

> opportunity to pass malaria on.

> Professor Read, of the University of Edinburgh, who worked

on

> the research, told the BBC News website: " It seems this fungus is

> eating them up from the inside. "

> He said the formulation of fungal sprays used to protect fields

from

> locusts could be the model for anti-mosquito sprays.

> Dr Matt of Imperial College, who led the study,

said: " There

> is no evidence that insects can develop resistance to fungi.

> " However, even if mosquitoes were to become resistant, it is

> extremely unlikely that they would also be resistant to chemical

> pesticides.

> " It should be possible to use the chemical and biological

pesticides

> together or in rotation to prolong their usefulness " .

> People 'need convincing'

> A second paper in Science, by researchers from the Ifakara Health

> Research and Development Centre in Tanzania, the Swiss Tropical

> Institute in Basel and Wageningen University in The Netherlands

found

> mosquitoes which rested on fungus-impregnated sheets in houses

became

> infected and died.

> Researcher Kija Ng'habi said: " This technology needs to be

developed

> to be manageable and affordable. "

> Dr Joe Lines of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

> told BBC News website: " It is always great to have something new,

and

> the way this works is exciting. "

> He said the fungus was unusual because it attacked adult

mosquitoes -

> most control measures tackle larvae.

> But he said the fact that using the fungus would confer benefit on

> the community, rather than the individual, would mean that people

may

> need a lot of convincing to use it themselves.

> " When mosquitoes come into the house, some are young and will bite

a

> person, getting malaria to pass on to somebody else.

> " Other mosquitoes will be old, and have already got malaria from

> other people, and will give it to you. "

> " So the fungus wouldn't prevent you getting malaria from the

> mosquitoes which were already infected. "

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

what a great song to fit with the crazyness of it all. it appears

that we are way in over our heads when you have to use one type of

killer to kill another type of killer, which may results in more

killings. what happen? to bad we cant go back in time and try it all

again with the knowledge we have now. think our gvoremnet would have

been more environmentally friendly? think that word got by KC?

lol's ---

In , snk1955@... wrote:

>

>

> Jenine,

> After they spray the fungus to kill the mosquitos, then will they

need to

> spray fungicides to kill the fungus? And who makes both - the

mosquito killing

> fungus and fungicides...DuPont or Monsanto?

>

> " There was an old lady who swallowed a dog

> My, what a hog, to swallow a dog

> She swallowed the dog to catch the cat

> Swallowed the cat to catch the bird

> Swallowed the bird to catch the spider

> That wiggled and riggled and jiggled inside her

> She swallowed the spider to catch the fly

> I don't know why she swallowed the fly,

> perhaps she'll die "

>

> Products & Services:

> Fungicides

> Fungicides prevent and cure diseases which can have severe adverse

effects

> on crop yields and quality. The main markets are fruit and

vegetables, cereals

> and rice. Overall growth is expected worldwide and in developing

markets in

> the fruit and vegetables sector.

> Plant diseases are caused by a great variety of pathogens.

Accordingly, this

> requires many products used in combination or series to control the

full

> range of problems in ways that minimize the chance of resistance

building up.

> During recent years, among few new active ingredients, an

innovative

> generation of fungicides - strobilurins - has been developed and

introduced in order

> to improve the control in the key plant diseases like downy

mildew, powdery

> mildew, late blight, rynchosporium, net blotch and eyespot.

>

>

>

>

>