With equipment from Instrumental Access, talented scientists in Jamaica have accelerated their efforts to control disease-spreading mosquitoes
There are no vaccines for mosquito-borne viruses like Zika, chikungunya, and dengue. When an epidemic of just one of these illnesses strikes Jamaica, it can sicken thousands at a time.
Insecticides have been deployed by the government as the main prevention tactic for decades. But in recent years, mosquitoes have begun to fight back.
Across Jamaica, they are evading efforts to reduce their population by developing resistance to the most commonly used insecticides.
Their clever defense has renewed the urgent quest for new, effective methods of eliminating mosquitoes.
Dr. Rupika Delgoda, head of the Natural Products Institute (NPI) at the University of the West Indies (UWI) in Jamaica, believes that a solution lies within Jamaica's diverse ecosystem.
Dr. Delgoda has innovative ideas to examine indigenous plants and natural products found on land, in the sea, and even in microbial sources. The NPI has talented scientists eager to tackle the problem. Read more!
Source: Seeding Labs