FUNGICIDAL EFFECT OF GM –FUNGUS ON THE CONTROL OF MALARIA MOSQUITOES IN YANKABA AND LAMBA AREAS OF KAURA NAMODA, ZAMFARA STATE.

A fungus known as Metarhizium pingshaense  which naturally infects the Anopheles mosquitoes that spread malaria was identified. The next stage was to enhance the fungus which was malleable and was genetically engineered.

Malaria disease is spread when female mosquitoes drink blood, and kills more than 400,000 per year worldwide and about 219 million cases each year.

A 7,500sq feet fake village that was complete with plants, huts, water sources and food for the mosquitoes was set up in Lambar and Yankaba areas of Kaura Namoda town of Zamfara state which was surrounded by a double. layer of mosquitoes netting to prevent anything escaping. A mosquito breeding  pool was made at the test area. Fungal spores were mixed with Sesame oil and wiped on black cotton sheets. The mosquitoes had to land on the sheets and was exposed to the   deadly fungus, with 1,500 mosquitoes on experimental trial.

However, the results showed that the numbers of the mosquitoes soared higher  when the insects were left alone. But when the spider –toxin fungus was used, there were just two (2) mosquitoes strains i.e  Anopheles gambiense Yankaba and Anopheles gambiense lamba left after five (5) days; as the transgenic fungus quickly collapsed the mosquitoes  population in just two generations.

Moreso, tests also showed that the fungus was specific to these mosquitoes and did not affect other insects such as bees.

Nevertheless, the technology is not aiming to drive the extinction of mosquitoes but to break malaria transmission (reduction) in Yankaba and Lamba areas of Kaura  Namoda town of Zamfara state as the mosquitoes infected with fungus was marked in green colour.

Hence, that prospects for controlling mosquitoes using this modified fungus was high as the result was encouraging.