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Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Australia : Dengue bacteria one year away

Via The Sydney Morning Herald :

" A bacteria with the potential to wipe out the dengue virus in population centres could be used as early as next year.

Scientists from James Cook University in Cairns are part of a global team working on the bacteria which, it is hoped, will make mosquitoes more resistant to the virus.

The bacteria is currently being trialled on Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which spread the virus, at a JCU facility and researchers are pleased with the results so far.

We're doing the trials now and it's looking good," medical entomologist Dr Scott Ritchie told AAP.
Dr Ritchie said female mosquitoes are infected with the bacteria and pass it on to their offspring.

"What it will do is, it will take the existing mosquitoes and they basically won't be dengue mosquitoes anymore."

He said the bacteria could be applied to wild populations of Aedes aegypti as early as next year."

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