Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have characterized a virus that is
infectious to Anopheles gambiae - the mosquito primarily responsible
for transmitting malaria.
this virus could potentially be used to pass on new genetic information to
A. gambiae mosquitoes to help control malaria, which kills over one
million people worldwide each year.
Paratransgenesis, the genetic manipulation of mosquito symbiotic microorganisms,
is being considered as a potential strategy to control malaria.
Microorganisms associated with Anopheles mosquitoes could be
manipulated to alter the mosquito’s ability to become infected with and transmit
the malaria parasites, or reduce mosquito fecundity or lifespan.
AgDNV is a member of the Parvovirus family, a “densovirus”, which are quite
common in mosquitoes and other insects, but do not infect vertebrates such as
humans
still many years away from practical use
clipped from: microbiologybytes.wordpress.com 