VietNamNet Bridge - Khanh Hoa province, in central Vietnam, will release thousands of Aedes aegypti flies to Tri Nguyen Island to replace natural mosquitoes.


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The population of Aedes Aegypti flies carrying biological agents Wolbachia will be released on the Tri Nguyen Island, of Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province to replace natural mosquitoes which are capable of transmitting dengue.

According to scientists, when mosquito Aedes Aegypti bringing biological agents Wolbachia are released into the wild, through the mating between Aedes Aegypti and natural mosquitoes will inhibit the replication of dengue virus in natural mosquitoes, gradually replace natural mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus and at the same time reduce the lifespan of normal mosquitoes.

Being discovered in 1924, the Wolbachia virus does not infect human. Australia released this species of mosquitoes into the wild in 2011 and the results are quite satisfactory.

According to Dr. Vien Quang Mai, Deputy Director of the Nha Trang Pasteur Institute, Vietnam has more than 50,000 cases of dengue annually, with more than 50 deaths. In cyclicity, dengue epidemic will flare up again after five years, but in 2010 the epidemic broke in central Vietnam and it returned in this area from early 2012, with more than 34,000 cases (36,000 cases in 2010), including 14 deaths.

Khanh Hoa province has the highest number of cases the central region. According to the provincial Health Department, by the end of 2012, the province had nearly 5,300 cases, including five deaths. Especially Khanh Hoa discovered the circulation of all four dengue virus types of D1, D2, D3 and D4.

As the abnormal increase in the dengue outbreak cycle while the preventive measures are proved ineffective, the new method of releasing mosquito agent to remove the virus that causes dengue is expected to succeed, limiting the spread of the epidemic.

Tri Nguyen Island is selected because it is far away from the mainland and had high natural mosquito populations throughout the year. The majority of the households on the island have agreed to the implementation of this project. After surveying, the project will be carried out in April 2013.

Compiled by Nam Nguyen