Researchers develop special female mosquitoes to control dengue, chikungunya viruses: All you need to know

Dr Ashwani Kumar, Director ICMR-VCRC, said, “We have prepared mosquitoes to replace dengue and chikungunya mosquitoes. We will release female mosquitoes which will mate with males and produce larvae that do not have these viruses. We have prepared mosquitoes and eggs and can release them anytime.”

According to him, there is good potential in the technology and the study that started four years ago and has been completed. Only government approvals are pending.

The World Health Organisation says dengue is one of the fastest emerging infections and is currently the most rapidly spreading mosquito-borne known viral disease.

Previously, in 2021, genetically modified mosquitoes have been released in the United States. However, those projects took a decade for regulatory approval and public acceptance. The genetically engineered mosquitoes were released into the air in Florida Keys of the United States. The method was performed to suppress populations of wild Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which can carry diseases like zika, dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever.

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