WIKIMEDIA, SCOTT O'NEILLAedes mosquitoes infected with the bacterium Wolbachia can slow the spread of dengue and Zika viruses carried by the insects, and several nations have launched early programs to deploy the mosquitoes, while others plan to introduce or expand their deployment.
Earlier this month (January 6), Eliminate Dengue announced its intention to expand from field trials to pilot sites in Nha Trang, Vietnam this coming March, a few months after the organization unveiled plans to increase the release of bacteria-treated mosquitoes in Colombia and Brazil. “The release of mosquitos with Wolbachia has been implemented on a trial basis in the city’s Tri Nguyen island, and has proved effective,” according to Xinhua, “no dengue fever outbreaks have been reported in the island.”
In December, Radio New Zealand reported that the island of New Caledonia would also release Wolbachia-laced mosquitoes. Indonesia and Australia, too, are expanding the number of sites where researchers are releasing bacteria-bearing mosquitoes.
Eliminate Dengue’s approach reduces the transmissibility of the virus among mosquitoes. Another ...
