A SUPERCHARGED mozzie first released in Cairns five years ago could play a crucial part in fending off a large-scale global outbreak of Zika virus.
The lead researcher behind the Eliminate Dengue program, Professor Scott O’Neill, said wolbachia – a naturally-occurring bacterium carried by Cairns mosquitoes since 2011 – had shown it was capable of reducing transmission of Zika, which has now been declared a “public health emergency” by the World Health Organisation.
It comes five years after Eliminate Dengue researchers first released wolbachia mosquitoes into the Cairns region.
“The wolbachia method we are using has also been shown to reduce transmission of other viruses transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, including Zika and chikungunya,” Prof O’Neill said.
“Eliminate Dengue is the only organisation that is currently implementing a method of releasing a mosquito resistant to mosquito-borne viruses such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya.
“As we continue our work, in addition to reducing dengue transmission, we hope our natural wolbachia method can also help stop Zika transmission.”
After starting trials in Cairns, Eliminate Dengue has released wolbachia mosquitoes in Townsville, Indonesia, Vietnam, Colombia and Brazil
Prof O’Neill said the existing population of wolbachia mosquitoes reduced the risk of a “large local outbreak of Zika”.
“Although there is always the possibility of mosquito-borne viruses being brought into Australia by overseas visitors or from Australians who have been infected overseas, this doesn’t necessarily result in local transmission,” he said.
“In areas where mosquito populations have high levels of wolbachia we have not seen any evidence of local disease transmission.”
Zika virus, transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes, has been linked to severe birth defects.
James Cook University medical entomologist, Professor Scott Ritchie, was not surprised wolbachia mosquitoes had shown to reduce transmission of Zika.
“It certainly would make the situation in Cairns a lot easier,” he said.
“I just hope that if Zika does come (to Australia) they catch it early and then probe it.”
Although the state is under no severe threat, Health Minister Cameron Dick will this week convene a discussion focusing on Zika preparedness.
Fuente: The Cairns Post