A special type of bacteria which is able to kill 72 species of mosquito larvae when released into mosquito breeding areas has been introduced by the Ministry of Health to reduce the mosquito population.
The Government Information Agency (GINA) reported that Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran last Wednesday met with Professor Palmira Ventosilla, a vector control specialist from the University of Peru to discuss the successes and challenges of the project.

Minister Ramsaran said that the initiative not only focuses on the malaria mosquito but on all vector borne diseases.

Following recent rainfall and reports of mosquito infestation in several regions the health ministry responded by dispatching several fogging machines along with the necessary chemicals to those regions to alleviate the situation.

According to Professor Ventosilla the Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI) bacteria is a form of germ warfare and  community participation is important since the citizens are living with the vectors in their homes and surroundings.

She said communities would be taught how to find the breeding grounds, to identify the vector and how to reproduce and use the BTI bacteria, GINA reported.

The project is being funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and is managed by the Canadian Centre for Minerals and Energy Technology (CANMET).

Manufacturing  BTI

A dry coconut is used to cultivate the bacteria and to ensure that it is not contaminated by any other bacteria the three eyes of the coconut are sterilized thrice using alcohol and fire.

Following sterilization, a nail is used to pierce the softest of the three eyes. A cotton swab with the spores of the bacteria is then inserted into the coconut, through the pierced eye, and another cotton swab with monosodium glutamate is added.

The hole is then plugged with cotton and sealed using candle wax. The coconut is then shaken for 5 minutes and it is advised that it be stored for four to five days before it is broken.

After the required days of cultivation have passed, the wax and cotton are removed and the liquid inside the coconut, containing the bacteria, can be poured into water where mosquitoes breed.

The BTI bacteria when ingested by the mosquito larvae, eat the vital organs of the larvae. However, this method is not harmful to humans, the environment and other animals, making it safe to use while eliminating instances of contamination.

Apart from using the coconut as an incubator, other natural resources such as cassava and potatoes can also be used, GINA stated.

Minister Ramsaran said that this new method is fairly cheap and easy to use by communities, since coconuts are easily accessible and the exercise can be replicated in communities throughout Guyana.

Professor Ventosilla noted that the success of using the BTI bacteria can be measured by the decrease in the number of homes that have vectors breeding in the environment.

The BTI method has been tested so far in Bushlot, Region 5 and Micobie, Region 8 where the responses by the communities were favourable.

In the meantime, the ministry has been encouraging citizens to appropriately discard tyres, unwanted containers, and to keep their surroundings clean in an effort to reduce the mosquito population.