Could a new mosquito affect Litchfield mosquito control in the future?

Great strides in fighting dengue fever, a dangerous mosquito-borne illness, are being made with lab-grown mosquitoes. Field tests abroad suggest success and could even affect mosquito control efforts in Southern New Hampshire in the future.

Over the last few years, scientists have begun efforts in fighting mosquitoes and the harmful diseases they carry, not with pesticides, but with...well, mosquitoes! Specially-lab-bred mosquitoes that are infected with another strain of bacteria, called Wolbachia. Wolbachia is not harmful to humans and is commonly found in insects. The best new is, that mosquito carries of Wolbachia bacteria are unable to spread dengue fever. This new mosquito breed could change the way we fight mosquito-borne illnesses in Litchfield in the future.

Fighting Mosquitoes with Mosquitoes, Down Under

Large-scale field tests in areas, where dengue fever was prevalent, such as North Queensland, have been a resounding success. These field tests began in 2011 in Australia, where the special breed of mosquito slowly spread throughout the area. Since then, dengue fever has essentially been wiped out of North Queensland. Dengue fever is spread when a mosquito bites someone, who is infected, and then passes it to another human by biting them. Wolbachia bacteria effectively blocks the transmission.

Other areas, such as Asia and Latin America, are plagued with dengue. Millions of cases are reported in these regions each year. Dengue fever is a very painful, potentially deadly mosquito-borne illness, making mosquitoes public enemy number one in some areas. One Indonesian community reported in 2019, to have seen a 76% drop in reported cases of dengue since 2016, when the lab-grown mosquitoes were released. Areas in Vietnam and Brazil are reporting drastic declines in both dengue fever and chikungunya, as well.

Wolbachia is also being used in another method of science-aided mosquito-borne illness control. One researcher is infecting only male mosquitoes with Wolbachia. When they mate with uninfected female mosquitoes, the resulting eggs do not hatch - cutting down or eliminating the mosquito population.

Fighting Mosquitoes with Litchfield Mosquito Control Barrier Protection

It is yet to be seen if the new breed of mosquito will remain resistant over time to dengue fever. Much more research and time will be required to see if lasting results can be maintained. It is also worth noting that this study goes by the number of reported cases by local health officials, rather than performing actual blood tests. Though the news is exciting, there will likely be communities or large areas, where such success is not reported. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the main carrier of dengue, as well as chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever. For now, the best recommended protection is with professional mosquito control barrier treatment, like Mosquito Squad of Southern New Hampshire’s EPA-registered treatment. Our Litchfield mosquito control is America’s original and guaranteed protection since 2005!

Protect your family from the threat of itchy mosquito bites and the potential for mosquito-borne illness this year. Call Mosquito Squad of Southern New Hampshire at (603) 538-3125 to begin your 2021 Litchfield mosquito control regimen.