Larvae-eating guppy fish can help combat spread of dengue

Karachi: A new trial study has suggested that larvae eating guppy fish can help fight the spread of a mosquito-borne illness- dengue.

The research by the governments of Cambodia and Laos found that there was a sharp decline in mosquito larvae in water storage tanks after the tiny fish were introduced, the Dawn reported.

Guppies eat larvae that grow into mosquitoes, which in turn bite humans and transmit dengue.

According to the study, the threat of exposure to dengue-carrying mosquitoes is rising with uncontrolled urbanisation and a surge in the use of non-biodegradable packaging, which can act as a water reservoir for dengue mosquito breeding.

ANI