Invasive, disease-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquito sterilized with bacteria and eradicated in large-scale trial
Invasive, disease-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquito sterilized with bacteria and eradicated in large-scale trial
Tags: Aedes, Genetic biocontrol, Incompatible insect technique, OceaniaCSIRO, Phys Org, 2021.
In a first for the Southern Hemisphere, researchers have shown a bacteria can successfully sterilize and eradicate the invasive, disease carrying Aedes aegypti mosquito which is responsible for spreading dengue, yellow fever and Zika. The breakthrough could support the suppression and potential eradication of Aedes aegypti worldwide. Published today in PNAS, the landmark trial involved releasing 3 million male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Northern Queensland sterilized with bacteria called Wolbachia. The trial was conducted across three sites over a 20-week period during the summer of 2018. The sterile male insects search out and mate with wild females, preventing the production of offspring.
