Zika and Dengue Fever Update: Is The $18m Dollar Modified Mosquito Project The Answer

Finally, the answer to a worldwide phenomenon is here: A $18m Dollar Modified Mosquito Project. International donors with the US and UK governments funded researchers inset for a radical approach to mosquito-borne outbreaks.

The attempt to extinguish mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika and Dengue is a "revolutionary measure". Wolbachia, the virus researchers, found can reduce the ability of the infection-carriers to spread their corruption to people. Ten years - it is the time frame taken to form the appropriate virus that can eventually wipe out the epidemic pest.

The Mirror shared Prof Scott O'Neill, of the Eliminate Dengue Program ideas on how Wolbachia works: boosting the modified mosquitoes' immune system and making them impenetrable to Dengue and Zika. In the process of replication, the mosquitoes will battle out with each other. Consequently, the epidemic pest will die out and stop replicating thus making hard to spread the diseases.

"The use of Wolbachia is a potential ground-breaking sustainable solution to reduce the impact of these outbreaks around the globe and particularly on the world's poorest people," said Britain's international development secretary Priti Patel as reported in Reuters.

British and US governments team up with international donors including Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust for this $18m Wolbachia project.A swarm of Wolbachia-infected mosquito which will soon be released to wipe out Zika and Dengue carriers. A field tests will be expanded to Rio De Janeiro, Bello and other parts of Antioquia.

Dr. Trevor Mundel, of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on BBC, said, "Wolbachia could be a revolutionary protection against mosquito-borne disease." he added "It's affordable, sustainable, and appears to provide protection against Zika, dengue and a host of other viruses.

On the Mirror again, the public doesn't need to worry as the modified mosquito doesn't harm humans. Small-scale field tests in Brazil, Colombia, Australia, Indonesia and Vietnam have shown that it can only deter the spread of diseases and leaves no harm.

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