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Saturday, July 2, 2016

Wolbachia Bacteria Prevents Mosquitoes from Transmitting Zika and Chikungunya

by Entomology Today

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have confirmed that a benign bacterium called Wolbachia pipientis can completely block transmission of Zika virus in Aedes aegypti, the mosquito species responsible for passing the virus to humans.

Matthew Aliota, a first author of a paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, says the bacteria could present a “novel biological control mechanism,” aiding efforts to stop the spread of Zika virus.
Thirty-nine countries and territories in the Americas have been affected by the Zika epidemic, and it is expected that at least 4 million people will be infected by the end of the year. Scientists believe the virus is responsible for a host of brain defects in developing fetuses, including microcephaly, and has contributed to an uptick in cases of a neurological disorder called Guillain-Barre syndrome. There are not yet any approved Zika virus vaccines or antiviral medications, and ongoing mosquito control strategies have not been adequate to contain the spread of the virus......

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