Queensland research pioneering Dengue solution

Queensland scientists are one step closer to eradicating Dengue after promising results in field trials have limited the spread of the disease.

Science Minister Ian Walker said researchers at James Cook University in Cairns had bred mosquitoes with bacteria called Wolbachia, which they had shown stopped mosquitoes transmitting the Dengue virus, and released them at trial sites to breed with wild mosquitoes that pass Wolbachia on to their offspring.

“In the most recent outbreaks in Cairns, there was no evidence of local Dengue transmission in areas where mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria were released to breed with wild mosquitoes,” Mr Walker said.

“We may not be able to claim it as a cure-all yet, but this research takes us a step closer to controlling this disease.”

Mr Walker said Dengue was one of the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral diseases worldwide with up to 390 million people infected every year and 2.5 billion people at risk of the debilitating and sometimes deadly disease.

“Since the most recent Cairns outbreak in October last year, 125 people have been infected with Dengue, and that’s 125 Queenslanders too many.

“This government promised to turn innovation into economic activity and this research delivers on that commitment.

“It will also help to revitalise frontline services as we promised at the election, by reducing the costs of treating people and the suffering caused by Dengue.”

Mr Walker said the Eliminate Dengue Program, partially funded by the Queensland Government with $1.95 million, showed great promise for the Wolbachia method to provide a low-cost, self-sustaining and environmentally sound way to control the spread of Dengue.

“This research will not just make a difference here in Queensland,” Mr Walker said.

“The results are informing Wolbachia trials in Indonesia and Vietnam, and there are plans for similar programs in Brazil, China and Colombia.”

Professor Scott Ritchie from the university’s Eliminate Dengue program said field trials with Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes began in 2011.

“Close to 100 per cent of mosquitoes in those sites are now carrying Wolbachia”Professor Ritchie said.

“In the past two years we have released Wolbachia mosquitoes in a further five sites in Cairns and the good news is that we’re seeing no evidence of local Dengue transmission in all our release sites.

“We have shown that the Wolbachia bacteria stops the mosquito from being able to transmit the Dengue virus.

“The mosquitoes we rear are released to breed with wild mosquitoes and then Wolbachia is passed to the offspring.”

For more information on the Eliminate Dengue research program go to www.eliminatedengue.com.

[ENDS] 16 April 2014

Media Contact: Monica Rostron 0409 126 332