Jamaica enlists sterile male mosquitoes in dengue fight

Jamaican health authorities are exploring an innovative approach to curb the mosquito population by rearing and releasing sterile male mosquitoes into the environment.

The aim is for these sterile males to mate with wild females, ultimately reducing the number of mosquitoes capable of spreading disease.

Sherine Huntley-Jones, a medical entomologist and national programme manager for vector control at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, explained that the initiative is part of a broader strategy to combat mosquito-borne illnesses such as Dengue and Zika.

"Traditionally, we have used insecticides, and we are experiencing an increase in resistance. We have to come up with new tools that are going to be effective," Huntley-Jones said.

Jamaica's effort is part of an International Atomic Energy Agency pilot project, which tests the Sterile Insect Technique as a tool to fight mosquito-borne diseases. The project involves mass-rearing the target mosquito species, sterilising the males using radiation, and releasing them systematically--sometimes from the air--across designated areas to mate with wild females.

By reducing the number of fertile mosquitoes, authorities hope to slow the spread of dangerous illnesses and introduce a sustainable, long-term solution to mosquito control in Jamaica.