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Indonesian researchers breed 'good' mosquitoes to combat dengue

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Budi Satriawan, Reuters

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A volunteer of the World Mosquitoes Program (WMP) shows the Wolbachia mosquito eggs and its foods in a hatchery bucket in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, October 13, 2021. Picture taken October 13, 2021. Dwi Oblo, Reuters" src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/tvpatrol/11/01/wolbachia-mosquito-eggs.jpg"/><figcaption>A volunteer of the World Mosquitoes Program (WMP) shows the Wolbachia mosquito eggs and its foods in a hatchery bucket in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, October 13, 2021. Picture taken October 13, 2021. <em>Dwi Oblo, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia - Researchers in Indonesia have found a way to fight disease-bearing mosquitoes by breeding a species of the insect which carries a kind of bacteria that prevents viruses like dengue from growing inside them.</p><p>Wolbachia is a common bacteria that occurs naturally in 60% of insect species, including some mosquitoes, fruit flies, moths, dragonflies and butterflies. It is not, however, found in dengue-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, according to non-profit World Mosquito Program (WMP), which initiated the research.</p><p>&quot;In principle we are breeding the &#x27;good&#x27; mosquitoes,&quot; said Purwanti, a WMP researcher. &quot;The mosquitoes carrying dengue will mate with mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia, which will produce Wolbachia mosquitoes - the &#x27;good&#x27; mosquitoes. So even if they bite people, it won&#x27;t affect them&quot;.</p><p>Since 2017, a joint study conducted by WMP at Australia&#x27;s Monash University and Indonesia&#x27;s Gadjah Mada University has been releasing lab-bred Wolbachia mosquitoes across a few dengue fever &#x27;red zones&#x27; in the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta.</p><p>The trial results, published by the New England Journal of Medicine in June, showed that deploying mosquitoes with Wolbachia reduced dengue cases by as much as 77% and hospitalizations by up to 86%.</p><p>&quot;We&#x27;re confident in this technology, particularly for areas where the Aedes aegypti mosquito is the most responsible (infection) factor,&quot; WMP lead researcher Adi Utarini, who has been working on Indonesia&#x27;s Eliminate Dengue Program since 2011, told Reuters.</p><p>According to the World Health Organization (WHO), global dengue infections have risen rapidly in recent decades, with about half of the world&#x27;s population now at risk. An estimated 100-400 million infections are reported every year.</p><p>&quot;All three of my children have been infected with dengue and hospitalised... It&#x27;s always on my mind, thinking about how to keep my village healthy and clean,&quot; said 62-year-old Sri Purwaningsih, whose family volunteered for the WMP program.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/15/21/dost-reaches-phase-2-clinical-trial-on-candidate-drug-vs-dengue">DOST reaches Phase 2 clinical trial on candidate drug vs dengue</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/10/21/alamin-paano-makakaiwas-sa-wild-diseases-ngayong-tag-ulan">ALAMIN: Paano makakaiwas sa &#x27;WILD&#x27; diseases ngayong tag-ulan</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1815196" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Researchers in Indonesia have found a way to fight disease-bearing mosquitoes by breeding a species of the insect which carries a kind of bacteria that prevents viruses like dengue from growing inside them.

Indonesian researchers breed 'good' mosquitoes to combat dengue

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Indonesian researchers breed 'good' mosquitoes to combat dengue

Budi Satriawan,

Reuters

Published Nov 01, 2021 11:32 AM PHT

Read More:

Indonesia

dengue

mosquitoes

Wolbachia mosquitoes

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes

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