Honduras has launched a trial of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes in an effort to combat dengue fever. The trial is being conducted by Doctors Without Borders and the World Mosquito Program, and it is the first time that Wolbachia mosquitoes have been released in Honduras.
Wolbachia is a bacteria that is naturally found in some insects, but not in the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is the main vector for dengue. When mosquitoes carry Wolbachia, they are unable to transmit dengue virus to humans.
The trial in Honduras will involve the release of millions of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes in the capital city of Tegucigalpa. The mosquitoes will be released over a period of three years, and the researchers will track the impact of the release on the incidence of dengue.
The trial is part of a larger effort to develop new and innovative ways to control dengue. Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease that is endemic to many tropical and subtropical countries. It is estimated that there are 400 million cases of dengue each year, and about 25,000 people die from the disease.
The Wolbachia strategy is one of several new approaches that are being investigated to control dengue. Other approaches include using insecticides, developing vaccines, and improving mosquito control methods.
The trial in Honduras is a significant step forward in the fight against dengue. If the Wolbachia strategy is successful, it could be used to control dengue in other countries as well.
In addition to the trial in Honduras, the World Mosquito Program is also conducting trials of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes in Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Fiji, Indonesia, Mexico, Vietnam, and other countries.
The results of these trials will help to determine the effectiveness of the Wolbachia strategy for controlling dengue. If the strategy is successful, it could be used to save millions of lives.tuneshareGoogle it
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
