An intracellular bacteria genus which primarily affects arthropod species, including a significant proportion of insects and some nematodes is Wolbachia. It is one of the most abundant parasitic microorganisms and is perhaps the most abundant reproductive parasite in the biosphere. Interactions with hosts are often complex, and in some cases have evolved as interactions rather than parasitism. Some host species cannot reproduce or survive without colonization by Wolbachia. According to one study, more than 16% of neotropical insect species harbor bacteria in this genus, and 25-70% of all insect species are considered potential hosts.
Highlights
Wolbachia naturally occurs in insect species such as dragonflies, mosquitoes, moths and fruit flies. However, it does not exist in Aedes aegypti, which causes dengue fever.
Why is Wolbachia a good bacterium for certain insects?
For certain insects, Wolbachia is a good bacterium and its advantages on them are, Flies and mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia are more resistant to RNA viruses such as Chikungunya virus, West Nile virus, Flockhouse virus, cricket paralysis virus and norovirus. In leaf miners, bacteria help the host form green islands. Leaf miners are insects that inhabit leaf tissues and form colonies at the larval stage. Wolbachia helps leaf miners form green islands on the leaves that turn yellow. This allows the larvae to grow in the form of adults. Helps the iron metabolism of some insects. The presence of Wolbachia in household mosquitoes helps maintain resistance to pesticides. Wolbachia induces childbirth in several hosts. Giving birth is the choice to give birth. Increasing the number of offspring is an advantage of fitness.
Role of Wolbachia in humans
It acts as a disease carrier, that is, isopod pathogenic bacteria. They play an important role in the pathogenesis of epithelises and river blindness (onchocerciasis). Wolbachia also helps people prevent disease. Crystoplasmic incompatibility occurs in some hosts due to Wolbachia. A kind of incompatibility that makes sperm and eggs incapable of producing offspring is known as Crystoplasmic incompatibility.
How is Wolbachia used against Dengue?
In the year 2021, scientists from Indonesia used crystoplasmic incompatibility to combat dengue fever. Scientists have mated Wolbachia, which carries mosquitoes, with the dengue pathogen Aedes aegypti. When Wolbachia was introduced into male Aedes aegypti, the male became infertile. After that, when female Aedes aegypti and sterile males were bred, the eggs did not hatch. This reduced the number of mosquitoes by 80% to 97%. According to the World Health Organization, about 400 million people develop dengue fever each year. This method is also said to be used to eradicate mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus and yellow fever.
