Medicine stands before a great opportunity to control zika

Mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia will be tested and released at Brazilian and Columbia outbreaks to eliminate the spread of zika virus.

Scientists expect millions of mosquitoes to mate and transmit Wolbachia into each other in areas with large mosquitoes like Brazil and Columbia. When mosquitoes are infected with Wolbachia, this bacterium weakens the mosquito's ability to transmit Zika, and makes male mosquitoes become infertile. These males will mate with wild females and cannot reproduce, reducing the number of next generations.

Wolbachia infected mosquitoes will not infect zika virus.

Although Wolbachia bacteria will harm humans, it will limit the possibility of mosquitoes infecting the zika virus. Zika spread to 50 countries last year and caused nearly 2200 cases of patients, especially babies with small head disease.

The first trials were conducted at Bello, Comlombia and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Scientists will monitor the experimental area for 3 years to observe the extent of zika infection. If successful, the ability to protect people from this disease is possible.

"This is really an opportunity for control of this virus . If convenient, this will bring hope in the medical industry . " Dr Philip McCall, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK.

Zika virus is causing small head disease in newborns.

Wolbachia has 4 independent effects on mosquitoes such as reducing mosquito populations; Wolbachia infected mosquitoes are often difficult to infect zika virus; make mosquitoes' suction hose weaken and reduce the life of mosquitoes. These effects reduce the possibility of dengue virus infection and some other mosquito viruses, including Zika virus.

Professor Scott O'Neill said: "Currently we are facing many difficulties with the zika virus pandemic worldwide and there is no way to control the infectious disease from this mosquito. What we have studied over the past 10 years is a new step in the process of disease control and we seem ready to carry out this research into practice in cities like Colombia and Brazil. "