Drug makes blood lethal to disease-spreading mosquitoes

nitisinone is currently used to treat two genetic conditions: tyrosinemia type 1 and alkaptonuria.

The drug works by inhibiting an enzyme called 4 -hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) This enzyme is involved in a chain of chemical reactions known as the tyrosine detoxification pathway.

By messing with the HPPD enzyme, the drug effectively makes it so mosquitoes can't detoxify an amino acid found in blood, so they die.

She has worked in science communication, medical writing and as a local news reporter while undertaking NCTJ journalism training with News Associates . In 2018 , she was named one of MHP Communications' 30 journalists to watch under 30 . (emily.cooke@futurenet.com) You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Kids infected with measles face long-term health consequences. Vaccines can prevent all of them. This rare bacterial infection triggers pus-filled sores in the lungs and brain.