New Way to Beat West Nile

Scientists have moved a step closer to developing an improved weapon against disease-carrying mosquitoes.

A study of the mosquito species, Aedes aegypti, revealed that the bugs excreted toxic nitrogen after every meal. Failure to do so meant death and no offspring.

Now the researchers hope to find a molecule that interferes with this metabolic process in a way that renders the insects incapable of shedding the toxins.

Dinner would kill them.

"Our goal is to turn the female mosquito's blood meal into the last meal she ever eats," said Roger L. Miesfeld of the University of Arizona.

This molecule and similar molecules could be perfected as an insecticide and sprayed in places where mosquitoes congregate, such as around water and mosquito netting.

"This would be one more weapon in our arsenal against diseases that kill millions of people a year," Miesfeld said.

Details of the study are published in the Jan. 15 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

— LiveScience Staff

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