The solution to the question probably lies in Colombia, explains the American cross… But who is this creature and why is it so dangerous for humanity?
“Can we defeat the world’s deadliest creature?” This is questioned in a recent letter by bill gates, founder of Microsoft and one of the richest people in the world. The solution to the question probably lies in Colombia, explains the American cross… But who is this creature, and why is it so dangerous for humanity?
“Inside a two-story brick building at Medellin, Colombia, scientists work long hours in laboratories breeding millions of mosquitoes. They tend to cater to the insects’ every need as they raise them from larvae to pupae to adults, maintaining the right temperature, and feeding them liberally with fishmeal, sugar and, of course, blood. They then release them across the country to breed with wild mosquitoes that can carry dengue fever and other viruses that threaten to sicken and kill Colombia’s population. This may sound like horror movie script of a Hollywood screenwriter. But the mosquitoes released do not terrorize the local population. Exactly the opposite. They really help save and improve millions of lives,” Gates explains.
Here’s how they do it: Mosquitoes produced in this factory carry bacteria called Wolbachia that prevent them from transmitting dengue and other viruses, such as Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever, to humans. By being released to breed with wild mosquitoes, they spread the bacteria, reducing thethe transmission of the virus and protecting millions of people from disease.
As Bill Gates points out, these results constitute a huge advance, offering proof that this new technology will protect entire cities and countries from the threat of mosquito-borne diseases. The Global Mosquito Program, which is leading the Wolbachia effort, is now releasing these mosquitoes in 11 countries: Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, New Caledonia and Vanuatu.
The Global Mosquito Program targets the spread of Wolbachia among Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, a tropical mosquito that carries dengue, yellow fever and other viruses.
With climate change, the work of the Global Mosquito Program is urgent. As global temperatures rise, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes find more areas of the world habitable, increasing the spread of these diseases. The biggest danger is Dengue fever, which infects more people than 400 million people each year and kills 20,000.
Once the lab has reared millions of eggs and adult mosquitoes, they are ready to be released. The eggs are packaged in small gelatin capsules, each containing 300 eggs, which are given to residents to drop into the water to hatch. The advantage of such egg releases is that the eggs can be easily transported over long distances and can be hatched as needed. The lab also releases adult mosquitoes by the thousands from motorcycles that roam the city. The World Mosquito team is also experimenting with drone releases. Adult releases allow the Wolbachia mosquitoes to immediately begin mating with the wild mosquito population and spreading the virus-blocking bacteria.
“It’s exciting to see how far the Global Mosquito Program has come. Years ago, the idea of ​​unleashing mosquitoes as allies in the fight against disease made many people seem crazy. However, support for this innovative solution has prevailed in communities around the world. These amazing mosquitoes fly and save lives,” concludes Bill Gates.
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