--- title: Zika: Brazil, Colombia Deploy Mosquitoes to Fight Virus description: Scientists plan to release mosquitoes infected with a bacteria that reduces their ability to spread viruses to fight Zika canonical: https://time.com/4546588/mosquito-zika-virus-fight/ author: Mahita Gajanan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-10-26T18:56:53.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T01:26:30.371Z article:section: Health og:title: Scientists to Deploy Millions of Mosquitoes in Fight Against Zika og:description: The mosquitoes will be infected with a bacteria called Wolbachia og:url: https://time.com/4546588/mosquito-zika-virus-fight/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfd34b3d17b65988f/6988abb8f887dcb5e2e97f52/zika-fight-mosquito.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Aedes aegypti og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Scientists to Deploy Millions of Mosquitoes in Fight Against Zika twitter:description: The mosquitoes will be infected with a bacteria called Wolbachia twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfd34b3d17b65988f/6988abb8f887dcb5e2e97f52/zika-fight-mosquito.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Scientists to Deploy Millions of Mosquitoes in Fight Against Zika ## Video: What Is the Zika Virus? [Watch (HLS stream): What Is the Zika Virus?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/9AN9EZz4.m3u8) (0:51)  _Published 2016-08-22. Zika is a mosquito-borne virus causing mostly mild symptoms of fever, rash, joint pain and eye redness._ by [Mahita Gajanan](https://time.com/author/mahita-gajanan/) ## Mahita Gajanan Gajanan is an editor at TIME. Oct 26, 2016 6:56 PM UTC  Dengue fever vector, mosquito biting hand. Dengue fever vector, mosquito biting hand.Joao Paulo Burini—Getty Images by [Mahita Gajanan](https://time.com/author/mahita-gajanan/) ## Mahita Gajanan Gajanan is an editor at TIME. Oct 26, 2016 6:56 PM UTC Scientists plan to release millions of mosquitoes infected with a bacteria that reduces their ability to spread viruses throughout areas of Brazil and Colombia in an effort to fight the [spread of Zika](http://time.com/4516531/zika-virus-birth-defects-microcephaly/). The mosquitoes will be infected with a bacteria called Wolbachia, which will take away their ability to [pass on viruses](http://time.com/4322775/zika-symptoms-mosquito-virus/) to people. The Wellcome Trust and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, along with U.S., U.K. and Brazilian governments, will fund the $18 million plan, which is also supported by the World Health Organization, [_The Guardian_ reports](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/26/mosquitos-infected-wolbachia-bacteria-zika-virus). Wolbachia is currently present in 60% of insect species across the globe, but does not exist in the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that carry Zika, dengue and chikungunya viruses. Researchers with the Eliminate Dengue Program have developed a way to transfer the bacteria to Aedes mosquitoes. Small-scale observational trials in Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Colombia and Brazil have shown the Wolbachia-laden mosquitoes stopped the spread of dengue. The [rapid spread of Zika](http://time.com/4492891/zika-utah-cdc-virus/) has provided researchers with the funding to attempt large-scale trials in urban areas of Brazil and Colombia, including Rio de Janiero, according to a release from [Wellcome Trust](https://wellcome.ac.uk/news/trials-wolbachia-carrying-mosquitoes-scaled-south-america). The Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes are expected to breed with local mosquitoes and pass the bacteria on to their offspring, creating a self-sustaining project. “Wolbachia could be a revolutionary form of protection against mosquito-borne disease,” [said](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/26/mosquitos-infected-wolbachia-bacteria-zika-virus) Dr. Trevor Mundel, president of the global health division of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. “It’s affordable, sustainable, and appears to provide protection against Zika, dengue, and a host of other viruses. 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