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 The self-limiting strain of the Aedes aegypti mosquito was
developed by Oxitec, the UK-subsidiary of U.S. synthetic biology
company Intrexon. The male mosquitoes are modified so their
offspring will die before reaching adulthood and being able to
reproduce.
Oxitec, which produces the mosquitoes in Campinas, announced it will
build a second facility in nearby Piracicaba, Sao Paulo state,
following strong results there in controlling the population of the
Aedes vector that also carries the dengue virus.
Zika virus, first detected in Africa in the 1940's, was unknown in
the Americas until last year when it appeared in northeastern
Brazil. The virus has quickly spread through Latin America.
 Brazilian health authorities have linked the Zika outbreak to a
surge in the number of babies born with unusually small heads, a
damaging neurological condition called microcephaly.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a travel
advisory last week warning pregnant women to avoid 14 countries and
territories in the Caribbean and Latin America affected by the
virus.
With Brazil's rainy season underway, authorities are scrambling to
fight the seasonal surge in mosquito populations.
Two weeks ahead of Carnival celebrations, a highlight of Brazil's
tourism calendar, officials want to stem international concern about
the virus. They also want to reassure travelers who plan to attend
the opening ceremonies of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, which causes mild fever
and rash.
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Oxitec said its proprietary OX513A mosquito succeeded in reducing
wild larvae of the Aedes mosquito by 82 percent in a neighborhood of
Piracicaba, where 25 million of the transgenic insects were released
between April and November. Authorities reported a big drop in
dengue cases in the area.
"This is a powerful and versatile tool that can dramatically reduce
the levels of infestation, which is the core of Brazil's prevention
strategy right now," said Oxitec business development director in
Brazil, Glen Slade.
The transgenic mosquito know as OX513A was approved by Brazil's
National Technical Commission for Biosafety (CTNBio), but needs
authorization from health surveillance regulator Anvisa to move to
commercial production.
Oxitec began as a spin-off from Oxford University and was acquired
in September by Intrexon, which has provided resources to invest in
an expansion to fight the mosquito causing Brazil's public health
emergency, Slade said.
(Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by David Gregorio)
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