Dengue Outbreaks May Be Prevented By Specially-Bred Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes were bred to carry the Wolbachia bacteria that helps in preventing the transmission of the dengue virus.

Australian researchers have successfully protected a city from dengue outbreaks after releasing mosquitoes which were bred in captivity that can’t spread the virus.

These mosquitoes were bred to carry the Wolbachia bacteria that helps in the prevention of the transmission of the deadly viruses. They were then released in Townsville in Queensland, Australia over 66 square kilometres so that could naturally breed.

The researchers found that in the four years since the mosquitoes were released in the area, no new cases of dengue were reported. This is the first time that such an experiment has been successful.