Huge risks to Wolbachia-based mosquito control

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Editor;

Re: Miami may try bacteria-infected mosquitoes in Zika fight (PM November 13, 2016) – There are huge risks to Wolbachia-based mosquito control. First, the WHO finally acknowledged that Culex is also a vector (researchers from Brazil, Canada, and China confirmed this).

Culex is prevalent in Florida and a likely vector of Zika. Problem is: Wolbachia in Culex enhances West Nile virus and Malaria (and probably does with Zika too).

Dr. Anthony James, University of California-Irvine, said in response to Dr. Thomas Scott, University of California-Davis: “These genetic tools might not be the best strategies for ZIKV [Zika virus] given that at this point there seem to be multiple vectors not only at the species but also at the population level. The current genetic technologies would not be appropriately applied to such complex systems.”

Source (includes 14 citations with clickable links): http://www.infobarrel.com/Zika_The_Warnings_Our_Health_Authorities_are_Ignoring

Rose Webster