Using bacteria to control mosquitoes Living inside the cells of insects is a type of bacteria that may be the key to controlling the spread of dengue fever, the Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases. Researchers have successfully used the Wolbachia bacteria to suppress Aedes mosquito populations at trial sites in Guangdong province near Hong Kong, a region that has suffered several dengue outbreaks. By combining Wolbachia infection with low-level radiation, the team have shown that releases involving millions of mosquitoes could decrease the size of the Aedes mosquito population by more than 95 per cent.

Using bacteria to control mosquitoes
 
Living inside the cells of insects is a type of bacteria that may be the key to controlling the spread of dengue fever, the Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases.

Researchers have successfully used the Wolbachia bacteria to suppress Aedes mosquito populations at trial sites in Guangdong province near Hong Kong, a region that has suffered several dengue outbreaks.

By combining Wolbachia infection with low-level radiation, the team have shown that releases involving millions of mosquitoes could decrease the size of the Aedes mosquito population by more than 95 per cent.