Dengue fever is a tropical disease which for the vast majority means a transient fever – but which in the worst case can lead to death.
The disease is increasing worldwide, with global warming highlighted as one of the causes. In Brazil, the situation is worse than ever with over one million infected only in the first months of 2024.
Found naturally in other insects
There, the non-profit organization World Mosquito Program, WMP, has started testing a method that involves infecting the mosquitoes with so-called Wolbachia bacteria.
Wolbachia is found naturally in over 50 percent of all insects, but not in the species of mosquito responsible for spreading dengue fever and other diseases.
Strengthens the mosquitoes’ immune system
The Wolbachia infection appears to strengthen the mosquitoes’ immune system and make it more difficult for the dengue virus to multiply.
Female mosquitoes that carry the bacteria pass it on to their offspring.
– We basically vaccinate the mosquitoes so that they cannot infect people with diseases, says Bryan Callahan, communications manager at WMP to MY.