Scientists Use Bacteria-Infected Mosquitos to Combat Arboviruses

In Townsville, Australia, near the Great Barrier Reef, researchers have begun using bacteria-infected mosquitos to combat the spread of viral diseases. While dengue is not endemic, tourists can bring the disease to the local aedes aegypti mosquitos, the same species responsible for transmission in endemic areas. Researchers are releasing mosquitos infected with Wolbachia, a disease harmless to humans but that inhibits disease transmission of mosquitos, to protect residents against viral infections. Wolbachia-infected male mosquitos cannot produce viable offspring with uninfected females, resulting in a slow spread of the disease towards the entire population. Through this process, the researchers hope to make transmitting diseases to humans more difficult for the region's mosquitos.

In addition to Australia, the program is working with 12 other countries to restrict the transmission of disease. In addition to dengue, researchers hope to combat other arboviral diseases, like Zika. Other strategies of employing Wolbachia include releasing only infected males to reduce the population of mosquitos overall, which has the byproduct of reducing the ability to maintain an epidemic. However, this process would need to be regularly repeated, as mosquitos may immigrate and establish new colonies. For more news, see: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/08/opinion/mosquito-fighting-tropical-disease.html

-Ed