Controlling dengue fever, improving lives

Dengue is a potentially fatal disease spread by infected female mosquitoes of the Aedes aegypti species. Bednets are of little use against this species because it also bites during the day. With no vaccine for dengue and more than 2.5 billion people worldwide at risk of infection, new methods to prevent the spread of this debilitating disease are urgently needed.

In this short film, hear how Oxford-based firm Oxitec are pioneering a molecular biology approach to generate genetically sterilised mosquitoes as a means of preventing the spread of dengue infection. The team have received a Wellcome Trust Translation Award to support controlled open field trials of their technology in Malaysia.

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Running time: 3 min 58 s

This work is supported by a Wellcome Trust Translation award.