Mosquitoes are disease carriers. At the University of Arizona, researchers are trying to modify the insects to resist infectious diseases.
The winged insects are back in the news because they transmit Zika virus among humans. No Zika cases have been reported in Arizona.
Mosquitoes also carry malaria, dengue fever and other diseases. And they play a role in nature, serving as food for fish, spiders and other insects.
Agriculture professor Michael Riehle has been studying mosquitoes for more than 20 years. He’s trying to engineer an insect that’s resistant to malaria and other diseases.
"They don’t want to be infected with the pathogens any more than we do. The pathogens have hijacked them to get themselves from one person to the next," said Riehle.
Riehle said his lab has had some successes toward making the insects resistant to disease but they are unable so far to compete with wild mosquitoes.
"The long-term goal is to actually release these resistant mosquitoes with the goal of replacing wild populations that are transmitting disease," Riehle said.
Meanwhile, humans can protect themselves from the pests by removing standing water around their homes, applying insect repellent and wearing long clothing.