Brazil’s Response to Dengue Outbreak: Genetically Modified Mosquitoes
As a part of a robust strategy to curb the spread of dengue fever, Brazil is deploying genetically engineered mosquitoes across multiple cities. This move comes in the wake of staggering statistics indicating a surge in dengue cases in the country, as reported by our sources.
A Genetic Revolution Against Dengue
The genetically altered mosquitoes are custom-built to carry a specific gene that performs one of two functions – it either eliminates the mosquito before it reaches adulthood, or it blocks the mosquito from transmitting the dengue virus to people.
This bold initiative has been launched in response to the disconcerting figures released recently. Since the beginning of the year, a total of 1.6 million possible dengue fever cases have been recorded, along with 491 confirmed deaths. This figure is nearly equivalent to the total number of cases reported all of last year.
Disease Control with the Help of Wolbachia Bacteria
Interestingly, these anti-dengue mosquitoes are bred to be infected with a particular bacterium called Wolbachia. This bacterium is not naturally found in the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are largely responsible for spreading dengue. Through this method, protection has already been extended to 3.2 million individuals across five cities in Brazil.
Due to the promising results shown so far, an enlargement of this program is underway. With a financial boost of 80 million reais, the government aims to extend protection to an additional 1.7 million people. The city of Niteroi has already witnessed the success of this approach with low dengue cases as compared to other areas.
The fight against Dengue in Brazil focuses not only on reducing the mosquito population but also on preventing the transmission of the disease. Innovative genetic modification techniques provide a fresh approach that may hold the key to managing the outbreak. This innovative strategy showcases a new hope in the fight against dengue not only in Brazil but globally, offering a promising alternative to conventional control strategies.
