Mar 03 Watch 8:18 Can mutant mosquitoes be used to fight Zika and dengue fever? By PBS News Hour As mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever and Zika virus continue to ravage Brazil, scientists are racing to fight back. Their latest tactic: genetically engineered mosquitoes that will pass along fatal mutations to their offspring, destroying mosquito populations from within. Continue watching
Feb 16 Why it’s so hard to zap the Zika mosquito, and what we can do By Larisa Epatko The little black Aedes aegypti mosquito with its white-striped legs and body seems harmless enough, but it can spread the Zika virus, which is tentatively linked to birth defects in babies. Continue reading
Feb 08 Watch 7:52 In Brazil, a race to solve the mysteries of Zika virus By PBS News Hour In Brazil, health workers are searching for the smoking gun link between the virus and infant microcephaly, while troops attack mosquito breeding grounds and mothers of affected children face the long-term consequences. Science correspondent Miles O’Brien reports. Continue watching
Feb 05 Watch 5:51 Brazil grapples with Zika health emergency as Carnival begins By PBS News Hour The Centers for Disease Control have released new guidelines for combating Zika virus, including a recommendation that men refrain from unprotected sex with women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. Judy Woodruff talks with science correspondent Miles O’Brien,… Continue watching
Feb 04 New link between Zika virus and microcephaly is found in Brazil By Katie Worth, FRONTLINE Researchers say they've found some of the clearest evidence yet of a direct connection between Zika virus and microcephaly, a condition afflicting fetuses and newborns in Brazil. Continue reading
Feb 03 Watch 5:26 Mosquito breeding grounds are front line in fight against Zika By PBS News Hour The Zika virus has been found in more than 25 countries and at least nine cases have been identified in Florida, prompting the governor to declare a health emergency in some areas. Mosquitoes are the main source, but officials say… Continue watching
Jan 28 WHO alarmed at spread of Zika virus and risk of deformities in babies By Larisa Epatko Millions of cases of the Zika virus, with its potential to cause deformities in newborns, might come to the Americas over the next year, World Health Organization officials said Thursday. Continue reading
Jan 18 What is the Zika virus and how does it spread? By Larisa Epatko The Zika virus is a mosquito-borne illness predominately in Central and South America, but outbreaks have occurred in Africa, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands and the Americas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Continue reading
Nov 23 Researchers use new ‘gene drive’ to create malaria-resistant mosquitoes By Lauren Neergaard, Associated Press California researchers hatched some malaria-resistant mosquitoes and then gave evolution a shove — using a groundbreaking technology to ensure the insects pass on that protective gene as they reproduce, with implications far beyond the promise of fighting malaria. Continue reading
May 16 Watch 8:09 Can genetically modified mosquitoes curb Dengue fever? By PBS News Hour Officials in the Florida Keys are considering using genetically modified mosquitoes to curb the threat of the tropical disease, Dengue fever. The lab-grown mosquitoes have been used in Brazil and the Cayman Islands to reduce the local mosquito populations, but… Continue watching