Nature Podcast Nature goes inside the world’s largest ‘mosquito factory’ — here’s the buzz
Sep 5, 2025
Mariana Lenharo, a life sciences reporter, dives into her fascinating visit to the world's largest mosquito factory in Brazil. The facility produces millions of genetically modified mosquitoes carrying harmless Wolbachia bacteria, significantly reducing the spread of diseases like dengue and Zika. She discusses the innovative methods of mosquito breeding, the factory's surprising diet, and the initial skepticism from the public regarding this unconventional approach. As acceptance grows, Lenharo highlights its promising impact on public health in affected areas.
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Wolbachia Blocks Virus Transmission
- The factory breeds mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria that block dengue, Zika and chikungunya transmission.
- Releasing these mosquitoes aims to spread Wolbachia through local populations and reduce disease transmission.
Inside A Room Of 10 Million Mosquitoes
- Mariana Lenharo walked into a room containing 66 human-sized cages holding about 10 million adult Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
- She felt surprised by the silence and a little scared at the scale, though staff assured her the insects could not escape.
Scaling Creates New Operational Challenges
- Scaling production to tens of millions of mosquitoes introduces new operational challenges not seen in smaller facilities.
- Production managers describe the effort as a 'whole new world' requiring novel logistics and workflows.