The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) and the World Mosquito Program (WMP) announced a partnership for the construction of biofactories capable of producing up to 100 million Aedes aegypti with the wolbachia bacteria per week.
The bacteria significantly decreases the mosquito's ability to transmit dengue, zika and chikungunya, which can combat the spread of these diseases.
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The Wolbachia method consists of creating and releasing mosquitoes infected with the bacteria in cities. Over time, infected mosquitoes reproduce and the local population of Aedes aegypti becomes just those that carry the bacteria.
According to the secretary of Health and Environment Surveillance of the Ministry of Health (SVSA/MS), Ethel Maciel, the ministry intends to implant the bacteria in at least 70% of the municipalities that face the greatest burden of the disease in the next 4 years.
Investment and expansion of the method
For the construction of the biofactory, the WMP and the Institute of Molecular Biology of Paraná invested R$ 100 million. The location has not yet been defined, but it is expected to be in operation by early 2024.
In addition, the project will receive aid of R$ 50 million from the WMP and R$ 30 million from the Ministry of Saúde, through Fiocruz itself, for the immediate expansion of the method in other states and municipalities.
The Wolbachia method is already present in only five Brazilian cities, but the objective is to expand it to other regions.
Alda Maria da Cruz, director of the Department of Communicable Diseases at the Ministry of Health, said that there is already a previous mapping of these municipalities and that discussions with researchers will continue to refine these choices.
Understanding Wolbachia bacteria
Wolbachia is a bacteria naturally present in about half of the world's insects, but it is not found naturally in Aedes aegypti.
When inserted into mosquitoes, it prevents the development of dengue, zika and chikungunya viruses within them, reducing the possibility of spreading these diseases in the population.
Brazil is one of the main countries where the technique is studied, due to the high incidence of the three diseases. The strategy is implemented by Fiocruz, with funding mainly from the Ministry of Health and local governments.
Conclusion
The production of mosquitoes infected with the wolbachia bacteria can be an effective solution to combat the transmission of diseases such as dengue, zika and chikungunya. The partnership between Fiocruz and WMP for the construction of biofactories is an important step towards expanding the Wolbach method.
