Denpasar (ANTARA) – Academician who is also a parasitologist from the Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University, Bali, Dr. I Made Sudarmaja MKes, said that the Wolbachia method or technology for suppressing dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) cases is safe for humans and the environment.
“As someone who has studied about mosquitoes, why do I feel concerned about the existence of this rejection (mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia) in Bali?” said Sudarmaja in Denpasar, Thursday.
He said that cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), which have been affecting Indonesia since 1968, tend to increase and spread every year.
“Previously it was just one city, now it has almost spread throughout Indonesia,” he said.
According to Sudarmaja, since the first case of dengue fever was discovered until now, various efforts have been made by the government and a lot of money has been spent, but the morbidity rate tends to increase and there are still cases of death.
Likewise, there are no anti-viral drugs that kill the virus. Vaccines are also still at the research stage.
“When a technology that is safe for humans and the environment is discovered and in several publications it turns out that its impact is good. Why do we reject it without reading scientific articles and without scientifically acceptable reasons?” he said.
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Sudarmaja said that Wolbachia is a bacteria that naturally occurs in insects and has been around since ancient times. It is obligate as a parasite, which means this bacteria cannot live freely in nature.
“Aedes aegypti has also been around for a long time and we cannot eliminate it from the face of the earth. The Aedes aegypti mosquito which is infected with the Wolbachia bacteria has not been genetically engineered. Like humans who are infected with new germs, have their genetics changed,” he questioned.
Sudarmaja had previously conducted research on “Aedes Mosquito Fauna and Its Possible Role in Transmission of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever in Banjar Graha Kerti and Banjar Kerta PetASI, Denpasar City”.
Meanwhile, Professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Udayana University, Prof. Dr. I Gusti Ngurah Kade Mahardika, said that dengue fever is still not under control in Bali.
For this reason, he said, new dengue control strategies need to be added. “The discovery of the natural Wolbachia bacteria is a new hope for Bali. Of course, before releasing Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes in Bali, a risk study is needed and also the fulfillment of various permits and regulations required,” said Prof Mahardika.
This virologist and molecular biologist said that in order not to disturb the public, information about Wolbachia technology must be explained and massively disseminated to the public.
“Wolbachia is a natural bacteria that has been found in Indonesia. It may also be present in mosquitoes in Bali. This bacteria lives in various species of mosquitoes and insects which are obligate endosymbionts, only live in the mosquito’s body, and can only be transferred from the mother mosquito to its offspring via eggs, he said.
He added that the Wolbachia method had been tested in 14 countries, and there were variations in success in its implementation.
“Some are successful, some are less successful, this depends on many factors, including insect density, temperature and the environment,” he said.
Referring to the risk study, there is an official document made by the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Health involving dozens of experts, Prof. Mahardika is of the opinion that this method or innovation has been proven to be cheap and effective in tackling dengue fever.
Also read: Mayor of Denpasar: The spread of the Wolbachia mosquito is waiting for the Ministry of Health
Also read: Bali Provincial Government applies Wolbachia method to suppress dengue fever cases
2023-12-14 09:56:02
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