When these mosquitoes mate with wild female mosquitoes without Wolbachia, they are unable to reproduce. Other research may involve the release of only male mosquitoes with Wolbachia. Wolbachia bacteria can be used in several ways, including to suppress mosquito populations. Long-term monitoring shows that the WMP’s natural Wolbachia method is self-sustaining in almost all international project sites up to eight years after our teams carry out releases. Our method does not suppress mosquito populations or involve genetic modification (GM) as the genetic material of the mosquito has not been altered. Unlike most other initiatives, our method is natural and self-sustaining. The WMP’s Wolbachia method helps to protect communities from mosquito-borne diseases like Zika, dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever, and does so without posing a risk to natural ecosystems or human health. Mosquitoes with Wolbachia have a reduced ability to transmit viruses to people, decreasing the risk of Zika, dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever outbreaks. Over time, the percentage of mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia grows until it remains high without the need for further releases. These mosquitoes then breed with the wild mosquito population. The WMP's field teams release male and female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with Wolbachia over a number of weeks. The World Mosquito Program’s Wolbachia method Two independent risk assessments have been conducted, both of which gave an overall risk rating of ‘negligible’ (the lowest possible rating) for the release of mosquitoes with Wolbachia. Wolbachia is safe for humans, animals and the environment. Wolbachia are naturally occurring bacteria found in 60% of all insect species. The World Mosquito Program’s research has shown that when introduced into the Aedes aegypti mosquito, Wolbachia can help to reduce the transmission of these viruses to people. This important discovery has the potential to transform the fight against life-threatening mosquito-borne diseases. For many years, scientists have been studying Wolbachia, looking for ways to use it to potentially control the mosquitoes that transmit human viruses.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |