Infecting mosquitoes with the parasite ‘stops the virus being transmitted to humans’
A harmless bacteria found in bees and butterflies can stop mosquitoes from being able to infect people with the Zika virus, a study has found.
Scientists have discovered a benign bacterium called Wolbachia pipientis can completely block transmission of Zika in the species of mosquito responsible for passing the virus onto humans.
Trials exposing the Aedes aegypti mosquito to the bacteria are already underway in Colombia, Brazil, Australia, Vietnam and Indonesia to help control the spread of dengue virus.