Consider the following statements:1. Dengue is a mosquito-borne tropic...
- Dengue is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus (Genus Flavivirus), transmitted by several species of mosquito within the genus Aedes, principally Aedes aegypti.
- Flavivirus is a genus of positive-strand RNA viruses in the family Flaviviridae. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
- This mosquito also transmits chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika infection.
- Recently researchers from the World Mosquito Program have used mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria to successfully control dengue in Indonesia. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
- The scientists infected some mosquitoes with Wolbachia and then released them in the city where they bred with local mosquitoes, until nearly all mosquitoes in the area were carrying Wolbachia bacteria. This is called the Population Replacement Strategy.
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Consider the following statements:1. Dengue is a mosquito-borne tropic...
Statement 1: Dengue is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the positive-strand RNA viruses.
Statement 2: Wolbachia bacteria is used to control the spread of dengue.
Explanation:
Dengue:
Dengue is a viral disease that is primarily spread by the Aedes mosquito. It is caused by four distinct serotypes of the positive-strand RNA viruses known as dengue viruses. These viruses belong to the Flaviviridae family.
Transmission:
When a mosquito bites a person infected with the dengue virus, it becomes infected and can transmit the virus to other people it bites. The Aedes mosquito is particularly active during the daytime and is known to breed in clean water.
Symptoms:
Dengue infection can result in a wide range of symptoms, from mild flu-like symptoms to severe manifestations such as dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, joint and muscle pain, rash, and mild bleeding.
Prevention and Control:
There is currently no specific treatment for dengue, so prevention and control measures are crucial. This includes reducing mosquito breeding sites, using mosquito repellents, wearing protective clothing, and using bed nets. Additionally, efforts have been made to develop vaccines against dengue.
Wolbachia Bacteria:
Wolbachia is a naturally occurring bacterium that is commonly found in a variety of insects, including mosquitoes. It is known to interfere with the replication of certain viruses, including the dengue virus. When mosquitoes are infected with Wolbachia, they become less capable of transmitting dengue viruses.
Wolbachia-based Control:
Wolbachia-based control strategies involve releasing male mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia into the wild mosquito population. When these infected males mate with wild females, the resulting eggs do not hatch, leading to a reduction in the mosquito population over time. This approach has shown promising results in reducing the transmission of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases.
Conclusion:
Both statements are correct. Dengue is indeed caused by positive-strand RNA viruses, and Wolbachia bacteria have been utilized as a means of controlling the spread of dengue by reducing the mosquito population.
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