Microbiology teaches us about bacteria, viruses, vectors, environments, etc. Seeing them in a textbook is one thing but seeing the theory of microbiology come to life in a real situation is another. Recently, a company called Verily has come up with a plan to introduce bacteria into male mosquitoes to eliminate the type of mosquitoes that can carry the Zika virus. Zika is a virus that is spread from a mosquito bite and spreads from mother to her fetus, through blood contact and sex. It is most dangerous to pregnant women because it can cause birth defects, stillborns and even miscarriages.
Why male mosquitoes? Male mosquitoes do not bite humans. So when the population is increased you don’t have an increase in those pesky biting, itch-causing bugs. Mosquitoes that are capable of carrying the Zika virus have made their way north to as far as Fresno California. The concern is that these mosquitoes will encounter a person that has the Zika virus from either traveling or contracting from someone that has traveled and gotten the virus. The mosquitoes will then be able to pass the virus to another person. To get ahead of this potential epidemic, Verily has hatched a plan to kill off these mosquitoes by releasing other mosquitoes with a bacteria called Wolbachia bacteria. This bacteria is harmless to humans but when passed from mosquito to mosquito, this bacteria makes the eggs of the infected mosquitoes soft and unable to hatch. This will kill off the mosquitoes that can carry the Zika virus.
This is a perfect case of microbiology coming to life in a real-world situation. Mosquitoes are the vector and carry the bacteria to other mosquitoes making them unable to reproduce. Wolbachia is a bacteria that affects mosquitoes and is not harmful to humans. A great example of what is wanted when looking for a drug or vaccine. Next time you feel that annoying itch or see mosquitoes flying around, think of how they are being used to offset an epidemic.
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BY CARLEY PICKETT
CWI STUDENT
