A Breakthrough To Combat Zika, Dengue

The much-dreaded dengue, zika and chikungunya diseases are caused by the Aedes aegypti mosquito and scientists are conducting research to overcome this dangerous vector. As part of an international collaborative study, a team of researchers from Pune has devised a biofilm possessing anti-bacterial and disease-fighting capacity against Aedes aegypti. The film, coated with silver and gold nanoparticles and obtained from the protein of mulberry silk, was found to completely kill the larva of Aedes aegypti. They used mulberry grown locally in and around Junnar, located about 80 kms from Pune. Silk being a fibre produced by the silkworms consists of two proteins — fibroin and sericin. This film was later subjected to the growth of larva and tested over a period of eight days. Nanosilver-based solution exhibited an effective anti-microbial action against E coli, S aureus, K pneumoniae and other microbes as well as a nearly 100 percent mortality of Aedes aegypti mosquito larva. Dinesh Amalnerkar from Hanyang University and former executive director of the Centre for Electronics and Materials Energy Technology (C-MET) said that the bio-nanocomposite material can restrict the growth Aedesdes aegypti , the other infections like flavivirus, malaria, yellow fever, filariasis, schistosomiasis, Japanese encephalitis can automatically be curbed and effectively controlled, highlighted Amalnerkar.