New Delhi: In a groundbreaking study, researchers from the universities of Exeter and Wageningen have discovered that certain bacteria can significantly accelerate the development of mosquito larvae, offering a promising new tool in the fight against mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, yellow fever, and Zika.
The study, published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology, found that the bacteria Asaia spp. can speed up the growth of Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae by a day. This acceleration could enhance mass-rearing programs that produce millions of mosquitoes for release in disease control efforts. These programs typically involve breeding and releasing non-biting male mosquitoes that are either sterile or genetically modified to prevent disease transmission.
Professor Ben Raymond from the University of Exeter explained, “We know that Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae can’t develop at all without a microbiome, and our study shows that Asaia species can play a beneficial role.” The bacteria not only accelerate larval development but also alter the wider bacterial community, reducing the abundance of potentially parasitic bacteria.
