Video from group n°106
Welcome to the webpage of group 106[modifier | modifier le wikicode]
The topic we have decided to explore is the following :
Short video of our sustainable project, we would like to find an innovative and efficient way to fight mosquitos bites.
Our video[modifier | modifier le wikicode]
Our paper[modifier | modifier le wikicode]
After our research and particularly our interviews with experts we learned a lot about the mosquito’s bites and the solution to avoid them.
According to Grégory Lambert, a researcher at the EID Mediterranee (Entente Interdépartementale de Démoustication) there are more than 50 species of mosquito in France. He is specialized in the tiger mosquito and told us a lot of information about it. It arrived in France from Italy where it was implanted for several years. Some mosquito’s species developed a system to survive the spread and the Italian version of the tiger mosquito has developed that; that’s why it has been able to survive in France in the metropolises. When a mosquito bites, it injects saliva. This is absolutely not dangerous for human’s health except for a phenomenon of allergy, which is very rare. The main problem with mosquito bites is the transmission by the blood of viruses, not the bites itself. The two famous viruses transmitted by the tiger mosquito are the dengue fever and the chikungunya fever, the first one being more deadly. Before this mosquito is introduced in metropolises it was impossible to contract these diseases if you were not a traveler. Dr Lambert explained us how a virus is transmitted: if a tiger mosquito beats someone with the virus in its blood, it gets infected and it will give the virus to everyone it bites then. That’s how we start an epidemic. About solutions to avoid mosquito bites, Dr Lambert taught us that there are four molecules efficient (DEET and IR3535 for example). These molecules come from plants but they still are made chemically. To be efficient at its best the concentration of the product must be adjusted to the risks, which depend on the place and age of the user and the mosquito’s species. The repellents with these molecules are not harmless. It acts on the neurotransmitters and is not very good for the skin. In order not to attract mosquitos it appears primordial not to leave stagnating water near your place because the water generates the mosquitos. Indeed mosquito’s eggs hatch when they are immersed in the water. But the risk for human’s health is almost inexistent for a mosquito born in metropolis because it is not disease carrier. According to him, it wouldn’t be a problem not to have mosquito at all because it seems that they are useless. The tiger mosquito for example is an invalid species, which means that we can fight it and it wouldn’t be a problem for the biodiversity if it doesn’t exist anymore. However, our research shows that the main role of mosquitos is to transmit pathogens agent which will not survive or multiply without them. This gives them a medical or veterinary interest.
We also learnt that the chances of being bitten by a mosquito are at 85% linked to genetic. For example, pregnant women release more carbon dioxide and so are more likely to be bitten. Only mosquito female bite, all 48 hours to satisfy its vital needs. It’s after the coupling that its start to look for blood in order to grow its eggs.
To conclude, we realized that finding an fully effective solution against mosquitos is a real challenge and taking it up would be an important improvement of comfort for everyone.
