A global team of scientists have found a way to turn female mosquito embryos into males at a genetic level, according to a paper published in Science Express. The finding could really come in handy, since females are the ones that bite, constantly hunting for blood to develop their eggs.

 For some of us, mosquitoes are merely an annoyance we can solve with a simple swat or two. But in many parts of the world they carry deadly diseases and are major threat to the health of a population. There are about 200,000 cases of yellow fever each year. And of these, 30,000 result in death. There has been a number of efforts over the years to solve this problem, but the process usually involves breeding a large number of mosquitoes — which can be time-consuming and costly — and releasing the sterile males into high-risk areas. 

 30,000 PEOPLE DIE OF YELLOW FEVER EACH YEAR 

To streamline this process, researchers tried to find a genetic switch that could turn females into males. They didn’t quite do that, but they did find a way to alter their genitals. The team discovered a male-determining factor gene called "Nix" in the Aedes aegypti species of mosquito. Aedes aegypti isn't known for carrying malaria, but it is responsible for spreading other deadly diseases like yellow fever, dengue fever, and the chikungunya virus. 

 "When we injected Nix into mosquito embryos, we found that more than two-thirds of the female mosquitoes developed male genitals and testes," says Brantley Hall, a computational biology researcher and co-author on the paper. And when the team removed the Nix gene from male mosquitoes, they developed female genitals. 

 Scientists have known for about 70 years that there was a gene which controls a mosquito's sex, but no one was able to find it, according to lead author Zhijian Jake Tu, a professor of biochemistry in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. There's so much information to sift through that it was simply too daunting of a numbers game. Zach Adelman, an associate professor of entomology and a co-author of the paper, likens the problem to a puzzle. Even if you have 700 pieces assembled, it can still be hard to make sense of the ones that remain.

 THE MOSQUITO GENOME IS LIKE AN UNFINISHED PUZZLE 

"Jake and his students found a way to look in those pieces and find a really, really important gene just sitting there," Adelman says. "That [gene] wasn’t part of the assembly because no one could find it. It looked like all the other pieces." 

 The researchers did this by developing a much more effective computational method that examines information buried in what's referred to as the "black hole" of the genome — regions full of duplicate information that are extremely hard to sequence. It was there where they discovered Nix. Although scientists have performed many sterile male mosquito releases over the years, the practice is fraught with inefficiencies and extra costs. For example, companies that perform these releases have no way of breeding only males. "They're throwing away half of the mosquitoes that they rear because they’re females," Adelman says. "If we have a strain that doesn’t even make females then you don’t have to spend all the labor costs associating with separating those out, and you don’t have to spend the money rearing them and then throwing them away."

 WE'RE STILL YEARS AWAY FROM THIS PROCESS BEING USED 

Adelman says they are still a "number of years" away from perfecting the method. Right now they are only able to activate this male-determining gene by changing it in mosquito embryos, which means that the gene doesn’t always reach all the cells. As a result of this, the rest of the adult bodies weren't completely converted to male form. The team wants to get past modifying embryos and eventually exploit this male-determining factor by using transgenics, essentially changing this specific gene in mosquitoes on a deep enough cellular level that they pass it on to any offspring. "You would have a much stronger effect," Tu says. "It could be a converted, full, sterile male." 

 If the team can get to this point, the efficiency of mass releasing sterile males would drastically increase. When that day comes, we'll have our best weapon yet in the fight against mosquito-borne diseases.

Mosquito bites can ruin your holiday so if you’re someone who frequently gets bitten while you’re away its worth doing everything you can to avoid these little blighters. 

According to scientists one in five of us appeal to mosquitoes due to the chemical compounds on our skin, carbon dioxide we breathe out, the movements we make and the heat we generate.

 Are you one of them? 

If you are, it is worth noting mosquitoes can smell you from 50 yards, so make sure you protect yourself at all times.

 This will not only prevent itching and skin reactions, but it will also decrease your chances of contracting any mosquito-borne illnesses.

Those who work in travel have plenty of tricks to keep those pesky little biting bugs at bay – and they don’t involve standing perfectly still, wearing white or abstaining from drinking alcohol. 

So, take a look at what you need to do if you want to avoid those mosquito bites while on holiday. 

And if all your efforts fail you can always try a natural remedy as this will take the sting out of any bite.

How to avoid getting bitten

 Brewer’s Yeast is high in vitamin B1 (thiamine) and gives off an odour through our pores. 

Although humans can’t smell it, mosquitoes don’t like it and will usually leave you alone if they get a whiff of it.

 As a guide start taking the tablets one week before you travel, then after a week’s course carry on taking the tablets for the duration of your stay. 

Avon Skin So Soft dry oil body spray gives off an aroma that only mosquitoes can smell. 

When we contacted Avon, the department stated that this could be due to the citronellol ingredient that is used in this product.

 Citronellol is not used in any other Skin So Soft products, so make sure you look for the oil body spray. 

The dry oil spray isn’t advertised as a mosquito repellent but so many of us have found it a winner that we had to mention it. 

When you arrive at your resort go to the local supermarket and buy a bag of citronella tea lights. 

Place them around your room and balcony to repel mosquitoes as they loathe the smell. 

Boots Repel Tropical strength insect repellent spray contains 50% deet and is extremely effective in protecting against mosquitoes and midges – especially in tropical areas that have a higher risk of malaria.

 One of the best ways to avoid getting bitten is to wear loose fitting clothes, not only are they more comfortable in hot and humid climates but mosquitoes will bite through clothing that is tight on the skin, especially if it’s a thin fabric. 

Mosquitoes are attracted to standing water, so you can expect to see them near lakes, swamps, stagnant creeks and small puddles. 

Many species stay close to where they breed and hatch so try and give these wet areas a wide berth. 

Mosquitoes are attracted to dark coloured fabrics as they absorb heat from the sun, so it is advisable to wear light coloured clothes that will help you keep cool while avoiding any bites. 

If you are going to be sleeping under the stars use a mosquito net. 

But make sure that it touches the floor so they can’t get under it. 

 How to deal with bites 

 Apply a cold compress to the tender area as this will help reduce any swelling. 

Do not scratch the area as it can become infected. (This is real tough one to ask but trust us – don’t scratch bites!) 

Antihistamines can also reduce the swelling from bites.

 Tea tree and lavender oils have properties that alleviate the swelling, pain and itching from bites.

 Tea tree oil is also an antibacterial agent that can prevent infection. 

The menthol in toothpastes creates a cooling sensation on the skin with its intrinsic astringency, this too helps reduce swelling. 

Tea bags can help draw the fluid out of bites and reduce itching and swelling. 

Ice cubes can constrict blood vessels and decrease the body’s natural histamine release, this can also ease itching and swelling. 

We have all heard the old wives tale about avoiding alcohol that has a strong smell, avoiding dark spirits such as whiskey and not wearing perfume but we have never found any of these effective.

 Have we missed any? How do you avoid getting bitten abroad?

Dream Walker Navagio Zakynthos--Zante  '' Part Two ''

Dream Walker Navagio Zakynthos--Zante