Recent research has revealed that nitisinone, a drug originally used to treat rare genetic diseases, can fatally disrupt a mosquito’s digestive process after feeding on human blood containing the substance. According to Science Alert and the University of Notre Dame, the key lies in the drug’s ability to block a vital enzyme in mosquitoes called 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD).
Without this enzyme, mosquitoes cannot properly digest the blood they ingest, leading to their death. This method is effective even against insecticide-resistant strains, such as the Thiassalé variant of Anopheles gambiae, making it a promising addition to current vector control methods.
Advantages over traditional methods
Nitisinone offers several advantages that position it as a leading product in mosquito control. It acts faster than existing alternatives such as ivermectin, killing mosquitoes within a day of ingestion. Furthermore, it remains active in the bloodstream for long periods, providing long-lasting protection.
It affects mosquitoes of all ages, including older ones, which are more likely to transmit malaria. The drug’s ability to eliminate both insecticide-sensitive and insecticide-resistant strains is a major achievement in the fight against malaria-transmitting mosquito species, which have wreaked havoc in recent decades in several Asian countries.
Potential Impact on Malaria Control
The implications for malaria prevention are significant. By turning human blood into a vector control tool, nitisinone presents a unique and effective way to reduce mosquito populations.
Lee R. Haines, a research associate professor at the University of Notre Dame, believes the drug could be a “promising new complementary tool for controlling insect-borne diseases like malaria.” Its ability to target resistant mosquito strains and older vectors makes it especially useful in regions where conventional interventions are losing effectiveness.
