Brazil releases dengue-blocking mosquitoes
- 10 years ago
A batch of mosquitoes in Brazil released into the wild.
Normally people would shy away, rather than crowd round but these are special mosquitoes.
Scientists from the government backed Oswaldo Cruz foundation have infected them with a bacteria that blocks Dengue fever.
(SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) RESEARCHER FROM THE OSWALDO CRUZ FOUNDATION, LUCIANO MOREIRA, SAYING:
"I'd say that in the short term, in about two years, we will see a reduction in Brazil yes, in the number of (dengue) cases in some places and then in something like five or even 10 years we will study an expansion of this project in Brazil with much more concrete data. So, we have to do a study as if it were a clinical study that is much broader to really show a reduction in the number of cases of dengue in a satisfactory manner."
This is just the start. Over the next three to four months, ten thousand just like these will be set loose.
The hope is these mosquitoes will multiply, breed and be
Normally people would shy away, rather than crowd round but these are special mosquitoes.
Scientists from the government backed Oswaldo Cruz foundation have infected them with a bacteria that blocks Dengue fever.
(SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) RESEARCHER FROM THE OSWALDO CRUZ FOUNDATION, LUCIANO MOREIRA, SAYING:
"I'd say that in the short term, in about two years, we will see a reduction in Brazil yes, in the number of (dengue) cases in some places and then in something like five or even 10 years we will study an expansion of this project in Brazil with much more concrete data. So, we have to do a study as if it were a clinical study that is much broader to really show a reduction in the number of cases of dengue in a satisfactory manner."
This is just the start. Over the next three to four months, ten thousand just like these will be set loose.
The hope is these mosquitoes will multiply, breed and be