SINCE the publication of my letter “Target real Aedes breeding grounds” (The Star, Jan 7), I have found out that because the Wolbachia-infection of the Aedes is passed on to several generations, the method is self-propagating and thus there is no issue over the flight range of these mosquitoes. As such, there would also not be any concern over the points of release as long as infected Aedes are released in large enough numbers at suitable points. For the same reason, the method would not be expected to be labour intensive.
I had raised this issue with a senior entomologist at the Institute for Medical Research Malaysia (IMR) and also with two senior experts in dengue fever (one in Singapore and one in the United States) at the recommendation of an eminent senior microbiologist at Universiti Malaya’s High Impact Research Department. All three had declined to provide me with the answers but I am now enlightened.
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