Dengue research hampered by funds paucity

Pakistan

Dengue research hampered by funds paucity

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The only laboratory active to control dengue mosquito biologically is facing death of funds.

08 September,2011 11:18 pm

Estimates show that 15 percent of the mosquitoes in Lahore carry dengue virus, while the experts have declared the strain of mosquitoes highly resistant to traditional insecticides.The lab in the Zoological Department of GC University is working on the pattern of Vietnam to find ways to check spread of dengue mosquito. The samples acquired from various areas revealed that the dengue virus is being carried by Aedes albopictus (Stegomyia albopicta), also called Asian tiger mosquito or forest day mosquito, characterised by white stripes, and female strand of Egyptian-type mosquitoes. The lab tests show that these mosquitoes lay eggs in stagnant fresh water. White offsprings hatch out of the black eggs within two days.The Punjab government is spraying Deltamethrin, but experts say the dengue mosquito has got resistant to the popular insecticide. Perhaps for this reason fumigation drives launched thus far have failed to achieve the desired results, with the mosquito flying free, hovering with the message of death. The Zoological Department of GC University is carrying out research on the mosquito, but paucity of funds is hampering the pace.The inset Copepodus acquired from the pond of the Lahore Zoo is being treated with a germ BTI so that it start feeding on dengue mosquito. The experiment has shown 90 percent success, but in fact the lab where the experiment is being carried out is an old 10 by 6 foot photographic darkroom. It reflects on the lack of resources available to the academicians to carry out research crucial to the human health. It is learnt the ECC (Economic Coordination Council) was sent proposals for two key projects of this nature, yet no funding has been approved.