Genetics Research Towards Dengue-Free

Dengue fever is considered endemic in more than 100 tropical countries. However, climate change and globalization has co-endemic diseases in temperate countries.

Dengue fever is a tropical virus that according to the World Health Organization (WHO) infects more than 100 million people every year. The symptoms resemble severe flu also affects bone and joints, but 5 percent of cases of dengue fever risk of death that follows the latest research findings is essential.


A herd study French and Thai researchers found that the spread of dengue fever through the genetic interaction between mosquitoes with the virus. Mosquitoes are believed to be immune to certain viruses - but at the same time vulnerable to other viruses.

The findings are expected to encourage the creation of new drugs that can control dengue mosquito breeding resistant and allow the dengue virus.

mosquitoes urban
Unlike the malaria mosquito , Aedes aegypti prefers urban areas many puddles .
In countries such as Thailand's dengue -prone , residential areas are often fumigated . Residents are encouraged to cover a bucket of water and invert the empty bucket that can hold rainwater .
The Thai government ordered more spraying because the number of dengue fever patients this year quadrupled .
" Year of concern for dengue fever in Thailand and Southeast Asia , " said Alongkot Ponlawat , senior researcher Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences ( AFRIMS ) in Bangkok .
" The Ministry of Health provides education for Thais , but his advice was ignored it - after a family member is sick , they just say : ' Oh yes , we have to control it ' . "
AFRIMS laboratory is now able to breed 20,000 female mosquitoes per week for research needs .
Other senior researcher , Louis Lambrechts , told DW said they theorize that mosquitoes only susceptible to one type of dengue virus , and it is important to determine the direction of research .
" Although there are indications that certain genetic interactions occur , there has not yet been mapped to chromosome mosquitoes . So now we have a rough idea on the part where the mosquito chromosome -specific interactions that happen , " said Lambrechts .

towards a solution
Now the target is mapped in a more complete genetic factors that determine the dengue mosquito . According to this research could someday help other researchers to stop mosquitoes in transmitting the virus .
" A lot of strategy that seeks to cut the cycle of disease in humans - for example through the development of drugs or vaccines , " added Lambrechts . " Yet another strategy seeks to interrupt transmission in mosquitoes . So our research may lead to new targets in the mosquito vector . "
But this is hard to exist without the anti- dengue mosquito breeding .
"There are developing transgenic mosquitoes , " Lambrechts said . " With genetically engineered mosquitoes , based on knowledge of the anti - viral defense in mosquitoes , further genetic engineering of anti - virus defense can produce infection -resistant mosquitoes . "
Given mosquitoes increasingly resistant to pesticides , many governments are increasingly exposed to controversial ideas .
However Ponlawat AFRIMS assess the spread of this kind of new mosquitoes will happen next ten years . 

Advanced vaccine

Another idea is the development of a human vaccine that not only advanced but also helps prevent infection from dengue mosquito free.

"Mosquitoes drink human blood. Developed so that the transmission blocking vaccine by providing medication to humans, transmission of the virus by the mosquito can be interrupted when they bite humans," Lambrechts said.

The first human vaccine - which has not advanced - reportedly ready to release in 2014.

While in Thailand the traditional methods still prove effective. One of them is a mixture of water with lemon grass that attract mosquitoes and kill the hatched larvae into the water once.