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Raising mosquitoes to prevent dengue fever transmitted by mosquitoes

Mosquito’s Mission

In the past 7 weeks, the area of ​​Thu Dau Mot City (Binh Duong) and My Tho City (Tien Giang) appeared mosquito boxes. Mosquitoes were released once a week and lasted for 5 months.

This is a mosquito with a rather special “mission”. They contain Wolbachia bacteria – a bacterium that infects over 60% of natural insects.

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Wolbachia mosquito eggs are released at 2,202 points in Thu Dau Mot City, Binh Duong.

Master, Doctor Luong Chan Quang, Deputy Head of the Department of Disease Control and Prevention, Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, said that Wolbachia infected mosquitos have the ability to inhibit the growth of some viruses. Among them, there is the dengue virus that causes hemorrhagic fever.

From this key, experts let Wolbachia mosquitoes mate with local mosquitoes. After a while, the natural mosquito population in that community will all carry Wolbiachia bacteria, which can inhibit the dengue virus.

“Thus, a person with dengue fever when traveling to that area cannot spread the disease to the community,” explained Dr. Luong Chan Quang.

At the project’s mosquito breeding room at the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, there are about 9 experts working day and night. They feed the mosquitoes enough blood, timed to collect eggs. This is the most difficult step. Because, only when the eggs are collected at the right time, the desired number will be reached to meet the mosquito release points.

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Mosquitoes carry Wobachia bacteria in mosquito breeding rooms.

Eggs are packed into capsules with food, ensuring to feed adult mosquitoes when going to the field. The Wolbachia mosquito release program is currently underway in 11 countries. In Vietnam, mosquitoes have been released in Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa), Thu Dau Mot (Binh Duong), My Tho (Tien Giang).

According to the treatment, Thu Dau Mot city (Binh Duong) was released a total of 30 million mosquito eggs during 5 months. Binh Duong has been one of the dengue fever hotspots for many years.

Ignore Dengue Fever

On May 13, the Infection C department of the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City was no longer available. 3 extra beds are placed in the corridor for newly admitted dengue patients.

“The department has a maximum of 52 beds, only 31 patients with dengue fever. Previously, Infection C only accepted female patients, but this time, all patients will be treated,” said Doctor, Doctor Nguyen Thi Cam Huong, Deputy Head of Infection C Department.

The wards are sharing the burden of dengue fever patients because the Department of Infection D (specializing in dengue) is treating Covid-19. Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases currently has 176 inpatient dengue fever patients, about 50 new cases are admitted to the hospital every day. The situation will increase further in the near future.

Mr. N.D, 30 years old, (Binh Tan district) said that on the first day of fever, he thought he had Covid-19. Because he has a 1-year-old child, he hastily tested to calculate the isolation. However, the result was negative for SARS-CoV-2.

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Dengue fever rash on a patient at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in HCMC.

A private clinic confirmed that he had dengue fever, prescribed medicine and monitored him at home. After 3 days of fatigue and pain, Mr. was taken to the emergency room because of dizziness, weakness, lethargy. “The doctor said I had dengue shock, my platelets dropped, I didn’t think the disease was so severe. Before, I was afraid of contracting Covid-19 but now I am more afraid of dengue fever,” said Mr. To share.

Meanwhile, Ms. KL (40 years old) in Long An had a high fever for 3 days and was so feverish that she was dizzy. Only when she fainted in the bathroom, she was transferred to Ho Chi Minh City for emergency. When informed about the dengue epidemic situation in the city, Ms. Linh could not help but panic.

“Can this disease be deadly? Every year we see dengue fever, but now it’s deadly?”

Dr. Luong Chan Quang, Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City shared that over the years, preventive measures have been widely communicated. Accordingly, each family should spend 10 minutes a week to check the water containers, clean the unused tools to prevent the larvae from multiplying. “Without the mosquito larvae, there would be no mosquitoes and dengue.”

“What we are most worried about is that the community will get bored of the disease prevention message. But really, these measures are extremely effective,” he said.

At this time, Ho Chi Minh City recorded a total of 7,129 cases of dengue fever, 6 patients died. Notably, the number of severe cases has increased by 5 times compared to the same period in 2021. Unlike Covid-19, there is no preventive vaccine for dengue fever in Vietnam, no specific treatment. The disease can turn severe and cause death quickly if not treated and given emergency promptly.

Linh Giao

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Distinguishing fever caused by hand, foot and mouth disease, dengue fever and Covid-19When Covid-19 subsided, hand, foot and mouth disease and dengue fever skyrocketed in Ho Chi Minh City. The common feature of these three diseases is that they can all have a fever, but the progression and treatment are very different.
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