Dengue and Aedes aegypti

Dengue fever is a viral disease transmitted by the bite of the mosquito Aedes aegyptiAedes aegypti. It strikes about 50 million people worldwide each year and 40% of the world's population is currently at risk of acquiring this severely debilitating and sometimes fatal disease.

Unlike malaria, dengue is primarily an urban disease; Ae. aegypti is closely associated with humans and breeds in water containers of various types. It has therefore been able to flourish in shanty towns in and around tropical cities, where the lack of a piped water supply means that people are obliged to store water in oil drums and other vessels.

With no vaccine available, dengue control currently focuses on the use of insecticides to control mosquito larvae in these containers. This contaminates water used for drinking and cooking and mosquitoes exposed to these chemicals are rapidly becoming resistant to them.

We at Xeroshield are currently developing Waterwasp™, a novel insecticide-free technology that provides a safe but effective alternative to conventional chemicals.