In August 2011, scientific journal Nature published two papers that describe the results from a series of experiments undertaken by the Eliminate Dengue program. The first paper describes experiments in the lab and in large mosquito containment facilities showing that a common bacteria, called Wolbachia, can reduce the ability of mosquitoes to transmit the dengue virus.  The second paper describes initial field-testing of the program’s proposed control method. The Eliminate Dengue program, funded by a grant from the FNIH through the Grand Challenges in Global Health (GCGH) initiative, is an international collaboration of scientists working to develop a new approach to reduce the global burden of dengue fever.
 
Dengue fever
Dengue fever has been ranked by the World Health Organization as the most important mosquito-borne viral disease in the world, occurring in over 100 countries worldwide with nearly 40 percent of the global population living in dengue transmission areas. The dengue virus is a mosquito-borne viral disease transmitted through the bite of infected female Aedes mosquitoes and causes severe flu-like symptoms. With no vaccine or cure yet available, this can result in 50 - 100 million cases and upwards of 40,000 deaths a year. Prior mosquito control methods, largely based around insecticide use, are not sufficiently effective and are failing to stop the global dengue problem.
 
Working to control dengue
The control methods being developed by the Eliminate Dengue program are intended to provide a practical, sustainable and cost effective approach to dengue suppression around the world. The research group is developing a new biocontrol strategy that will reduce or incapacitate the mosquito populations that transmit dengue fever. The Eliminate Dengue research is focused on targeted and environmentally friendly approaches that are not dependent upon the use of potentially toxic chemical insecticides.  Research has shown that infection with a naturally occurring bacterium known as Wolbachia — a strain of a bacterium commonly found in fruit flies and other insects and not harmful to humans — has been shown to reduce the development of dengue virus in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.  The program aims to stop the Aedes aegypti mosquito from transmitting dengue virus between humans by introducing Wolbachia into the existing wild mosquito population.  In field trials conducted in early 2011, the Wolbachia was found to spread rapidly through the local mosquito population, offering the possibility of area-wide protection from dengue transmission.

The FNIH Grand Challenges in Global Health (GCGH) initiative
The GCGH initiative is a major research effort to achieve scientific breakthroughs against diseases that kill millions of people each year in the world’s poorest countries. The goal of the initiative is to create “deliverable technologies” – health tools that are not only effective, but also inexpensive to produce, easy to distribute, and simple to use in developing countries. GCGH was launched in 2003 with a $200 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to FNIH. Under GCGH support, scientists around the world are working to solve 14 Grand Challenges ranging from improving the nutritional value of crops to curing chronic infectious diseases.

How you can support global health issues
The FNIH programs are at work in dozens of countries around the world as well as across the United States focusing on critical public health issues. These programs aim to alleviate wide spread suffering and death from diseases such as malaria, enteric infections and HIV, as well as train researchers and medical personnel in the developing world. Learn about our global health programs here >>
 
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photo of mosquito by FlickrPrince