“All Thoughts of GMO Mosquito Release Should Be Abandoned.”
Dear Editor:
Following my past Letter to Editor, I authored a 2,000+ word article in TheBluePaper.com outlining additional research and questioning why GMO mosquitoes are even considered. I continued my research, wondering why Zika suddenly became serious enough to spark recent media hysteria and predictions of epidemics. I found some disturbing correlations that suggest all thoughts of GMO mosquito release should be abandoned.
Consider the cause of the Zika epidemic a mystery to be solved. Here are some clues:
The Zika virus was isolated by Rockefeller Foundation researchers in 1947 in African monkeys. It has since been detected everywhere. Until Brazil’s epidemic, Zika was never linked to any serious malady. In 2012, Brazil tested Oxitec’s Oxi513A engineered mosquito species as a means to decimate their native population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, thereby hopefully curbing Dengue Fever. The native mosquitoes were reduced, but Dengue dramatically increased. Zika and microcephaly simultaneously became commonplace.
A small percentage of Oxi513A biting females are included in releases (millions are sorted by hand as larvae). A small percentage of Oxi513A naturally survive the “kill gene” and 5X as many survive with exposure to mere traces of tetracycline, such as the residual in chicken meat or wastewater. Tetracycline is a “switch” that disables the kill gene. The survivors are not sterile- they breed more Oxi513A and hybrids, but the “kill gene” may not be active (fatal genetics evolve out quickly). The gut bacteria in the tetracycline-exposed survivors have antibiotic resistance.
Oxi513A is created using “transposons”, also called “jumping genes” for their ability to replace genetic fragments. The original discovery of transposons identified mobile genetic elements in bacteria that could confer multiple drug resistances. Japanese researchers discovered that the drug resistance phenotype was inherited and able to be transmitted in an infectious manner, even to other species. Oxi513A is created using E.coli bacteria and Herpes Simplex virus fragments. Some theorize that Oxi513A’s gut may be a more hospitable environment for contagions, carrying and allowing more virulent strains to evolve. Thus, formally nuisance Zika became dangerous. Sound possible?
John Prosser, Big Pine
More from other sources:
https://www.broadinstitute.org/education/glossary/transposable-elements
http://www.britannica.com/science/transposon
https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/app/uploads/Annual-Report-1950.pdf
Does anyone reading this remember history. Every time anyone tried to screw around with Mother Nature they stepped in the s–t. Two words dear to all Floridians-LOVE BUGS, and how about these two-Kudsu Vines, and two more Walking Catfish, & probably not the last pair Water Lettuce!! Have I made my point yet??? Don’t Mess with Mother Nature. She’s got a 7 billion year head start and She Never Looses. Once upon a time I was the Lower Keys Supervisor for MC Mosquito Control, and I’m stating this with No encouragement or gratuities from them, but the Current mosquito control organization is doing a MUCH better job at what they do then when I was there. They seem to have Control over the Zika vector since it was identified as a vector. Keep up the good work. If it wasn’t for the job you’re doing 95% of the people wouldn’t be living here.
Scientists “playing God” for profit with the help of powerful marketing teams. What could possibly go wrong?
The marketing team’s answer is “Not a thing!”
But the correct answer is “We don’t know..”
That the target disease rate doubles when there are only 10% of the supposed carriers remaining after release of scads of Oxi513A night stalkers should indicate that something is going very wrong indeed.
What is it? The correct answer is again “We don’t know.”
What should be done to stop it? The marketing team says, “Buy more swarms of Oxi513A!”
I don’t think we need to know the exact details of what went wrong to be able to connect the dots of
1) way fewer natural carrier mosquitoes;
2) very many more engineered mutant mosquitoes;
3) very many more infections;
4) abnormally severe infections involving birth defects.
I see no reason why Keys residents should take part in genetic experimentation to the benefit of big corporate interests.
Did you see where a Tallahassee based Florida tourism promoter wrote in favor of GMO mosquitoes as essential to Keys tourism to quell fears of Zika? How many tourists might be more turned off by the prospect of partying with abnormally thick swarms of genetically engineered small flying creatures? Zika could become a risk, but participation in the genetic experiment would be a certainty. Why not experiment in Tallahassee instead?
I wonder if the surviving Frankenskeeter decendent swarms and the surviving decendent hybrid swarms will also glow under a black light? At least you could see where to swat.
when I proffered that the keys dear reserve should be used for this ‘experiment’ since it would be quite limited in humans compared to key haven I was meat with the ]
position of oh no its an endangered species and needs a Fed permit or some such. WWWWWWHAT! ….? ENDANGERED SPECIES….? WTF….? I then wrote to mcb and bocc.
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From:
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2015 11:31 AM
To: BOCCDIS2; BOCCDIS3; BOCCDIS4; BOCCDIS5; Kolhage-Danny
Cc:
Subject: gmo madness
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dear commissioners and mayor
your intervention is needed to put a stop to this gmo madness until proper study and especially peer review is conducted and approved. it seems the mosquito board is rushing head long into what could be considered a major health and welfare issue should any sickness and lawsuits be attributed to this poor excuse experiment of solving a problem that does not currently exist and calling it ‘pro-active’. there seems also to be methods other then “genetically modified organism” types that are superior as in the ‘wolebarhia’ approach being conducted in australia these past 3 years of actual scientific environmental application and success.
using key haven without the consent of its population is beyond the reach! as per fkec.org the ongoing petitioning here of the residents is showing an 80% against this gmo-mosquito release so far with about half the population’s voice to date of 210 signatures.
below is an email I sent to the chair of mosquito control for your review. I ask for myself and family that the county commission intervene in this misguided endeavour and put a stop to this ‘experiment’ which in my humble opinion endangers us without proper safeguards as in comprehensive 3rd party study and especially published peer review. this to me is a no-brainer and I for one cannot understand why peer review would not be the first criteria of any approval approach.
I feel this gmo issue is being shoved down our collective throats like it or not and this is surely not what I consider proper use of my property tax dollars. when 80% of the residents of key haven to date reject this intrusion by a gmo bug experiment however it goes forward anyhow….what is one to think?
commissioners put a stop to this NOW!
sincerely
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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below is an email I sent to the chair of mosquito control.
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for your review. I ask for myself and family that the county commission intervene in this misguided endeavour and put a stop to this ‘experiment’ which in my humble opinion endangers us without proper safeguards as in comprehensive 3rd party study and especially published peer review. this to me is a no-brainer and I for one cannot understand why peer review would not be the first criteria of any approval approach.
I feel this gmo issue is being shoved down our collective throats like it or not and this is surely not what I consider proper use of
sincerely
xxxxxxxxxxx
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to whom it may concern
i am a resident of key haven and completely resent this oxitec/mcb health intrusion whereas here is a list of questions sent to mcb and all county commissioners back in summer last year 2015..
the highest concern is by who’s permission? all met with a deafening SILENCE from the mcb and bocc.
local key haven poll of half the households showed a vote of NO CONFIDENCE and AGAINST the RELEASE FOR 75% polled.
below are my questions not to be confused with the 75% against poll taken in 2015.
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HAS THERE BEEN INFORMED CONSENT GRANTED FROM THE PEOPLE OF KEY HAVEN TO PARTICIPATE AS LABORATORY SUBJECTS IN THIS HUMAN MEDICAL EXPERIMENT?
and if not why not???
1- 75% of key haven residents are against this multi-million frankenbug release and resent being a lab rat for any mcb/oxitec human experiment ESPECIALLY without our permission. when will it be asked?
2- mcb must have a complete EIS overseen by a 3rd party committee before any question of approval is entertained by mcb.
3- oversight and insurance responsibility will be underwritten by whom and what are the policy limitations as noted on the declaration page?
4- there needs be peer review documentation before any question of approval is entertained by mcb
5- the language used in the ed russo key west resolution that required the MCB to provide their authority, standards, and criteria for success and failure etc. must also be incorporated and published.
6- please note the mila petition online against the frankenbug experiment. [150k to date]
7- im still waiting on the professors protestation of fabrication proof paper he said he would do on the below hyperlink sent last summer that speaks for itself.
GM mosquitoes increase spread of dengue fever in Brazilian town, causing state of emergency to be renewed
http://www.naturalnews.com/046656_GM_mosquitoes_dengue_fever_Brazil.html
8- this release will also include gmo female mosquitoes. WHAT? do you mean the biting kind?
as you can see there are some serious questions attached to this proposed action…all of which has been to my understanding ignored by doyle the executive director. perhaps doyle is speaking of the other key haven…the one in the invisible all state insurance commercial?
nevertheless i think the point has been made.
thanking you in advance
xxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxx
key haven
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I’m no science major but I sure feel this oxitec proposal needs be voted down by the mcb once and for all and focus on the ‘wolebarhia’ approach being conducted in australia these past 3 years of actual scientific environmental application and success.