TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — For decades, preventing dengue fever in Honduras has meant teaching people to fear mosquitoes and avoid their bites. Now, Hondurans are being educated about a potentially more effective way to control the disease — and it goes against everything they’ve learned.
A Doctors Without Borders' worker releases laboratory-bred mosquitoes Aug. 24 that are infected with bacteria that interrupt the transmission of dengue in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
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Mosquito pupae are separated by sex Aug. 10 inside a World Mosquito Program factory, in Medellin, Colombia.
Edgard Boquín, a project leader working with Doctors Without Borders, holds a glass jar filled with mosquitoes before their release Aug. 22 in neighborhoods rife with dengue, in a facility in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
A Doctors Without Borders' worker releases laboratory-bred mosquitoes Aug. 24 that are infected with bacteria that interrupt the transmission of dengue, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. In Honduras, where 10,000 people are known to be sickened by dengue each year, Doctors Without Borders is partnering with the World Mosquito Program to release close to 9 million Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes in Tegucigalpa over the next six months.
Lourdes Betancourt prepares a jar containing mosquito eggs to hang from a tree in her yard Aug. 23 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The mosquitoes that hatch will carry bacteria called Wolbachia that interrupt the transmission of dengue.
Coordinator Marlene Salazar holds a jar of mosquito larvae floating in water Aug. 10 at the World Mosquito Program factory in Medellin, Colombia. The factory breeds 30 million mosquitoes per week.
Banish mosquitoes from your yard with these traps and repellents
1. Cutter Backyard Bug Control Spray
This backyard bug control spray from Cutter kills mosquitoes and protects against other unwelcome pests like house flies, ticks, fleas, and moths for up to 12 weeks. Simply attach the sprayer to your garden hose and treat 5,000 square feet of your lawn
2. Stafi Outdoor Wireless Mosquito Zapper
This highly-rated wireless bug zapper has an automatic day and night sensor and lasts for up to 16 hours after a micro USB charge. You’ll learn to love the satisfying zap which means there’s one less mosquito to bother you.
3. TIKI Citronella Candle
This 28-ounce candle from TIKI repels mosquitoes for up to 32 hours of burn time. The triple wick design reduces waste and keeps the candle melting evenly. The bucket candle also provides soft lighting and looks great as a centerpiece.
4. Thermacell Mosquito Repellent Lantern
If you’re looking for a flame-free alternative to citronella candles, try this mosquito-repellent lantern from Thermacell. The DEET-free, scent-free lantern adds ambient lighting and up to 12 hours of protection against the annoying pests.
5. Murphy’s Naturals Mosquito Repellent Incense Sticks
If you want to avoid harsh chemicals while repelling mosquitoes, these Murphy’s Naturals incense sticks are the perfect option. Made with cedarwood, lemongrass, peppermint, rosemary, and citronella essential oils, the incense smells great to people but awful to mosquitoes. Each stick provides about two and a half hours of protection.
