Fig. 28
Pathway 26 Human health: Potentially broader tolerances for humidity, temperature, salinity, or desiccation in dsxFCRISPRh transgenic could lead to increased disease transmission in humans. Were the transgenic to show a broadening of tolerance for environmental conditions, this could result in increased competition with existing species in its current geographic range, as well as new competition with new species in new range, in each case potentially increasing disease transmission. Transgenics with broadened tolerance for humidity and temperature might, for example, be expected to show extended survival into dry season compared to non-transgenic. The net effect of a population suppression gene drive would ultimately reduce the impact of this potential harm by reducing the density of mosquitoes (A), including transgenic ones. The components of vectorial capacity (V) that would be affected in this pathway are shown in red in the equation