Brazil releases 'good' mosquitoes to fight dengue fever

[webfact]

Brazil releases 'good' mosquitoes to fight dengue fever

(BBC) Brazilian researchers in Rio de Janeiro have released thousands of mosquitoes infected with bacteria that suppress dengue fever.

The hope is they will multiply, breed and become the majority of mosquitoes, thus reducing cases of the disease.

The initiative is part of a programme also taking place in Australia, Vietnam and Indonesia.

The intracellular bacteria, Wolbachia, being introduced cannot be transmitted to humans.

The programme started in 2012 says Luciano Moreira of the Brazilian research institute Fiocruz, who is leading the project in Brazil .

"Our teams performed weekly visits to the four neighbourhoods in Rio being targeted. Mosquitoes were analysed after collection in special traps.

"Transparency and proper information for the households is a priority. "

Ten thousands mosquitoes will be released each month for four months with the first release in Tubiacanga, in the north of Rio.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-29356232


-- BBC 2014-09-26

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_s0pNm1JeI

[flyingdoc]

Sounds a fascinating project and one which acts outside the box!

Any double blind studies would be most enlightening!

[Jingthing]

Yeah I saw that. I sure hope this tactic spreads to Thailand. Lots of dengue here!

[arcturus]

"The intracellular bacteria, Wolbachia, being introduced cannot be transmitted to humans."

There's a possibility the bacteria can be transmitted to animals. What if that bacteria causes a new disease in other animals? Let's say cat flu or mad monkey disease. hmmmm.....

[Jeffreyake]

bravo, Brazil! Hope it will help to save somebody's life until some stupid "environmental activists" will declare that this method discriminates mosquito with a dengue fever and it's a part of natural environment and people should not fight with them.

[masuk]

Yeah I saw that. I sure hope this tactic spreads to Thailand. Lots of dengue here!

This morning I walked past an office block near Nimman, with tyres on the footpath outside, to ensure parking sports for staff no doubt.

Each tyre had a good deal of water inside, a perfect breeding place for dengue. In Singapore, that would cost the owners S$3000 per item!

In Chiang Mai? Is there a mosquito inspection unit?

[Mosha]

I think Aussie biologists are working om reducing life span. Only old mozzies can pass on diseases they say.

[GlaswegianTam]

I start work soon in Brazil and mosquitoes are one of my pet hates. Pray, I don't get infected given that when I was working in Sri Lanka a few years ago, the deaths through Dengue fever where really much higher than what is seen or perceived as normal.

Anyway, such is life - or death .....

[zydeco]

Didn't Brazil do the same thing in the 1950s with the introduction of African honeybees? And that resulted in killer bees that now plague North and South America.