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Jun 2021
‘Miraculous’ mosquito hack reduces dengue fever cases by 77 per cent
Scientists are reporting that dengue fever cases have dropped by 77 per cent in a “groundbreaking” trial that manipulates the mosquitoes that spread it.
The trial, which took place in Indonesia, used mosquitos infected with “miraculous” bacteria that lessen the insect’s ability to spread the virus.
The World Mosquito Programme team have said it could provide a solution to a virus that has spread around the world.
Few people were aware of dengue fever 50 years ago, but it has been a relentless and slow-burning pandemic, and cases have increased dramatically. In 1970 only nine countries had had severe outbreaks, now there are up to 400 million infections a year.
Dengue is commonly known as “break-bone fever” because it causes intense pain in muscles and bones, and explosive outbreaks can overwhelm hospitals.
Dr Katie Anders, trial researcher and director of impact assessment at the World Mosquito Programme, said “This result is groundbreaking. We think it can have an even greater impact when it is deployed at scale in large cities around the world, where dengue is a huge public health problem.”
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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.
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