First assignment of group n° 040
Resources used by the team[modifier | modifier le wikicode]
First description of our project[modifier | modifier le wikicode]
First description of our project's idea
Title of your project
1. What Problem do you want to solve ?
We decided to solve a major health problem that affects the entire planet: The transmission of deadly diseases by mosquitoes in risky countries. We recorded these following observations:
- The mosquito is the deadliest animal in the world: It annually kills over 2 million people worldwide and transmits many diseases like dengue, the Chikungunya, the yellow fever or malaria.
- These diseases are very serious and sometimes incurable.
- It is difficult to fight against mosquito bites especially in risky countries which are generally poor countries and very isolated.
- Technologies to fight against mosquitoes are today very rudimentary and generally consist to eliminate them by using insecticides harmful for the environment and dangerous for the ecosystem.
- The mosquito is an essential species in the food chain; it is the main food for many species of amphibians and birds. Therefore, it is not reasonable to eradicate it.
We have chosen to work on this issue because it is a scourge very deadly which touches a large part of the world. The world ignores the dangers of the mosquito and it seems very important to launch this project, which could save the lives of hundred thousand people worldwide.
2. Why does this problem exist?
Why does Mosquito sting?
A mosquito is a culicidae. It means it is part of a big insect family commonly called mosquitos. Nowadays, we counted more than 3 546 different species classified in 111 genders. However, not all of them are stinging. Furthermore, it is only female mosquitos which sting. They need human’s blood to feed their spawn. In fact, human’s blood encourages the well-development of mosquitos spawn. That would explain why mosquitos sting…
But do we have to worry about mosquito’s sting?
The main problem with mosquitos is not the fact they sting, but rather that they transmit lots of diseases by biting you. Mosquitos represent the most important group vectors of pathogens which may be transmitted to human race. Plus, zoonosis is part of them. It is sky-rocketing and is responsible for 75% of human emergent disease. This one affects particularly the human health when this one is stinged. The point is that mosquitos are responsible for 300 million of people sick every year due to mosquito’s sting diseases transmission. Moreover it killed, in average, 1,5 million people per year, and generates many cases of Plasmodium and malaria… Nevertheless, even if mosquitos bite, transmit diseases, and virus, we have to look deeper to understand the importance of mosquitos in ecosystems.
How important is the role of mosquito in the biodiversity?
One of the most hated insect of the World hold a strong role in biodiversity. Larvae serve to feed many insects, and then mosquitos are used to be eaten by birds, or spiders… Besides, there are little pollinator. That’s the role of male mosquitos. They need energy and pick it up in sugar. The last fact is controversial but interesting. It is playing its predator role. For million years, mosquitos were regulator of mammalian populations. When one notice, numbers of people killed every year because of mosquitos and diseases transmitted, one can say that mosquitos are pursuing their role of predators.
3. What breakthrough are you commited to creating?
To solve the problem of the transmission of these diseases we are seeking a natural, lasting and effective repulsion. We are committed to create a new product that tackles different things:
- By repelling mosquitoes, our product will allow a reduction of diseases due to mosquito’s bites and by consequences, save millions of life.
- Our goal is to respect the animal food chain so that our product will just repulse mosquitoes and not kill them.
- Made of natural resources, our product will be sustainable. After its use, our product “disappears” and therefore won’t pollute the environment.
- Thanks to its wide distribution channel and its price, the access of our product will be affordable by almost all the inhabitants of the earth.
Potential experts already identified
- EID « Entente Interdépartementale pour la démoustication du littoral méditerranéen. In the first place we’ll contact EID in order to understand the mosquitoes issues deeper. This organisation will help us to understand the real stake of the mosquitoes’ presence. Moreover we can discuss with them about the best eradication way or a contrario the best option to repulse them.
- Antoine Cohen “Antibes mosquitoes hunter”. This person is specialized in Mosquitoes hunt. He only uses nature friendly products. Here we have a video from “le JT de 13h de TF1” presenting Antoine Cohen.
http://www.wat.tv/video/antibes-part-en-guerre-contre-1ny2j_2eyxv_.html
- Tabone Elizabeth: “Ingénieure de recherche - Responsable du laboratoire Biocontrôle site UEFM Antibes Villa Thuret. Porteur de projet lutte biologique. ». This lady knows everything about mosquitoes. We will ask her questions about finding a way to repulse mosquitoes without killing them. Moreover she’ll tell us how we need them in the biodiversity balance.
If we need more information we will talk with:
- Camous Gilbert who is Naturalist Taxidermist Entomologist in Nice, France. His job is to understand and analyze the issues from nature, wildlife and biodiversity. He’s specialized in mosquitoes’ behavior.
