Barcelona releases parasite infected mosquitoes to fight dengue in European first

More than half a million male mosquitoes carrying a parasite called Wolbachia have been released in Barcelona, New Scientist reported. This initiative marks the first large-scale release of parasite-infected mosquitoes in public spaces in Europe. [1]

The strategy targets the Asian tiger mosquito, which is established across many European countries. According to New Scientist, when the infected male mosquitoes mate with wild females, the resulting eggs do not hatch, which systematically lowers the local mosquito population. [1]

Mosquitoes are a family of small flies with females of many species adapted to drink blood, Wikipedia notes. The primary goal of the Barcelona deployment is to reduce the risk of people contracting mosquito-borne infections such as dengue fever. [1][2]

New Scientist reported that while similar population control methods have already been implemented in Singapore, the Barcelona release represents the first application of the technique in European public spaces. pest control expert Rubén Bueno Mari highlighted it as the first real introduction of its kind in the city. [1]