Controlling Dengue Using Wolbachia Bacteria

Controlling Dengue Using Wolbachia Bacteria

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – Health & GS-III- Biotechnology

In news

• Researchers from the World Mosquito Program have used mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria to successfully control dengue in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Important value additions

Wolbachia

• Wolbachia are natural bacteria present in up to 60% of insect species, including some mosquitoes.
• It is not usually found in the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
• It is safe for humans, animals and the environment.
• The Aedes aegypti mosquito spreads Dengue and other diseases such as chikungunya, Zika and yellow fever 
• However, it cannot spread the disease when it is artificially infected with Wolbachia.

Do you know?

• Dengue is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus (Genus Flavivirus)
• The dengue vaccine CYD-TDV or Dengvaxia was approved by the US Food & Drug Administration in 2019.
• It is the first dengue vaccine to get the regulatory nod in the US.

• Dengvaxia is basically a live, attenuated dengue virus which has to be administered in people of ages 9 to 16 who have laboratory-confirmed previous dengue infection and who live in endemic areas.