Lysenko and the Screwworm Fly—When Politics Interferes with Science and Public Health

In the One Health scenario, a deep understanding of the dynamics potentially threatening the development and implementation of useful pest and vector management tools is of key importance. The New World screwworm fly, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), is characterized by a wide host range. It acts as an important agent of myiasis in humans and warm-blooded animals in the Neotropics, and has been eliminated from a wide region through genetic methods. Of note, Serebrovsky had already proposed in 1940 the principles of autocidal control by the translocation of segments between two chromosomes, but his work was negated by Lysenko, based on the negation of Mendelian genetics. This entomological case study emphasizes the danger of politics interfering with science, a still contemporary hot issue. The negation of global warming or current pandemics are further examples of this noxious influence.

FIELD TEST OF AN AUTOCIDAL CONTROL METHOD WITH THE FERAL MOSQUITO CULEX RESTUANS (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE)

An autocidal control method involving attraction of ovipositing females to artificial oviposition sites, rearing and chemical sterilization of adults reared from the collected eggs, and release of sterilized males back into the system was field tested with the mosquito Culex restuans Theobald. This species cannot be cultured continuously. The average weekly percentage of sterile egg rafts was 2.4 (range 0.3–16.0) in the test area where sterile males were released (av. 9620/wk) and 5.3 (range 1.5–30.0) in the area where both sterile males (av. 7000/wk) and untreated females (av. 4590/wk) were released. The low level of sterility achieved is attributed to infiltration of gravid females from outside the experimental areas, poor efficiency in producing sterile males from the collected egg rafts, and the small scale of the test.A hypothetical model is used to compare theoretical reduction in rates of increase of a population of mosquitoes when various proportions are induced to oviposit in ‘trap’ pools if the eggs trapped are destroyed, reared to produce sterile males for release, or reared to produce sterile males for release in conjunction with larvicidal treatment of uncontrolled breeding areas.