Climate change may limit spread of dengue fever

Infection with dengue virus makes mosquitoes more sensitive to warmer temperatures, as does infection with the bacterium Wolbachia used to control mosquito-borne viral infections. The findings suggest that global warming could limit the spread of dengue but could also limit Wolbachia’s ability to act as a biological control. Recent findings from Pennsylvania State University (PA, USA) have demonstrated the potential use of microbes in mitigating the distribution of vector-borne viral infections. The mosquito Aeges aegypti is the primary vector for disease-causing viruses such as dengue (DENV), Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever. Mosquitoes will be increasingly affected by the rising global...