Aedes-borne viral diseases (ABVD)

Aedes-Borne Viral Diseases (ABVD) in India

• • ABVDs have emerged as significant public health challenges in India, not only causing morbidity and mortality but also reducing national productivity.

Aedes aegypti

• • Aedes aegypti is the primary vector responsible for the transmission of multiple viral diseases, including:
  • Yellow Fever
  • Dengue
  • Chikungunya
  • Zika Virus
  • Originally native to North Africa, the species has now spread as a common invasive mosquito across tropical, subtropical, and even temperate regions globally.

Wolbachia Method for Mosquito Control

• • A novel and sustainable vector-control strategy involves the use of Wolbachia bacteria, a naturally occurring endosymbiont.

Mechanism:

• • Wolbachia does not harm mosquitoes but blocks the proliferation of viruses within them.
  • Mosquito control programmes release male Aedes aegypti infected with Wolbachia into areas where wild populations exist.
  • When these Wolbachia-infected males mate with wild uninfected females, the eggs laid fail to hatch.

Outcome:

• • This results in a progressive reduction in Aedes aegypti population, thereby limiting the spread of Aedes-borne viral diseases.