Brazil has opened what officials call the world’s largest factory dedicated to breeding mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia, a bacterium that stops mosquitoes from spreading dengue. The factory aims to protect about 140 million people from dengue in the coming years.
The new facility, named Wolbito do Brasil, began operations on July 19. It is a joint project between the World Mosquito Program, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, and the Institute of Molecular Biology of Paraná, with the backing of Brazil’s Ministry of Health.
Wolbito do Brasil can produce 100 million mosquito eggs every week. The method works by releasing mosquitoes that carry Wolbachia into areas where dengue is common. These infected mosquitoes breed with local mosquitoes, passing on Wolbachia, which then blocks the ability of mosquitoes to transmit dengue (and sometimes other diseases like Zika or chikungunya) to humans.
According to Luciano Moreira, chief executive of the factory, the project will protect roughly 7 million people every six months as the deployment expands.
Dengue, sometimes called “break-bone fever” because of the intense pain it causes, infects hundreds of millions globally each year. In Brazil alone, the disease led to 6,297 deaths last year, the highest number on record.
To get the Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes into neighborhoods at risk, specially equipped vehicles will distribute them in areas with the most dengue cases. This targeting helps focus efforts where people are most vulnerable.
Officials say the method is safe: Wolbachia only lives inside insect cells, and it has no known harmful effect on humans. Also, more than 5 million people in eight Brazilian cities have already benefitted from Wolbachia-based mosquito control since 2014.
The new factory is seen as a major step in Brazil’s fight against dengue. If it succeeds, it could dramatically reduce illness and death from the disease, especially during outbreaks.
