Sex intervention combats malaria

Scientists believe it may be possible to combat malaria by interfering with the sex lives of the mosquitoes which spread the disease.

They have shown that the insects can only mate successfully if the male is able to seal his sperm inside the female using a "mating plug".

Without the plug, fertilisation cannot occur, and the animals cannot reproduce.

The Imperial College London study is published in the journal PLoS Biology.

The researchers focused on the species of mosquito primarily responsible for the transmission of malaria in Africa - Anopheles gambiae.

These insects mate only once in their lifetime, so disrupting the reproductive process offers a good way of dramatically reducing their numbers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8426798.stm