The dengue virus, which in rare cases can be fatal, is carried and spread to humans by infected mosquitoes. In government laboratories, scientists breed the bacteria-carrying mosquitoes in rows of pallets - separating the male pupae for release in the worst-hit dengue areas. Wolbachia mosquitoes can't transmit diseases such as dengue, and only female mosquitoes bite humans. When male Wolbachia mosquitoes mate with females that don't carry the bacteria, none of the resultant eggs will hatch. "You've got to flood the island with these mosquitoes, and people get annoyed," said Paul Tambyah, senior consultant at Singapore's National University Hospital.

Source: bd News24 August 28, 2020 00:56 UTC