Source: ABC News
Vietnam to replicate Cairns dengue project
Updated
Researchers trialling a technique to stop dengue fever transmission around Cairns in far north Queensland will replicate the experiment in Vietnam.
The Eliminate Dengue project involves releasing mosquitoes into communities after infecting them with the 'wolbachia' bacteria, which blocks the spread of the virus.
Vietnam's Ministry of Health has approved a trial on the small island of Tri Nguyen.
Program manager Dr Peter Ryan says it should begin in March.
"In Vietnam, particularly in the health system, the community is very involved in health programs there," he said.
"Essentially they're setting up the equivalent of a Neighbourhood Watch system for wolbachia.
"Representatives from the community will actually undertake releases of mosquitoes in their own and the neighbours' yards."
Dr Ryan says Vietnamese researchers have been involved in the program for several years.
"Scientists from Vietnam have visited Cairns and actually participated in some of the trials," he said.
"The Ministry of Health in Vietnam has just approved a field trial which will be undertaken in a small island called Tri Nguyen Island [with] about 700 households."
Topics: infectious-diseases-other, research, medical-research, invertebrates---insects-and-arachnids, cairns-4870, vietnam
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