Back then some people were worried that if mosquitoes were released here, we would get even more mosquitoes," he said. "This technology can be used at the beginning to target the hot spots ... it will dramatically reduce disease transmission. Xi's facility has the capacity to breed up to five million mosquitoes a week.While a female mosquito that acquires wolbachia by mating is sterile, one that is infected by injection will produce wolbachia-infected offspring. "We have a lot less mosquitoes now compared to the past." "The aim is trying to suppress the mosquito density below the threshold which can cause disease transmission," said Zhiyong Xi, who is director of the Sun Yat-sen University Centre of Vector Control for Tropical Diseases and pioneered the idea.

Source: Times of India August 02, 2016 09:26 UTC