New Delhi,(PTI) Eggs of the mosquito that carries the viruses responsible for dengue and Chikungunya can survive extreme dehydration by altering their metabolism, according to a study that offers potential new ways to control the spread of the diseases.
Researchers at the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine in Bengaluru and the Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi noted that cells are made mostly of water, and desiccation is a potentially fatal event for any organism, since the structures of many proteins and other cellular molecules are dependent on adequate hydration.
While many types of microbes have evolved mechanisms to survive drying out, only a few animals have. Among them is the mosquito Aedes aegypti, the carrier of a variety of viral diseases, including, Zika, dengue, yellow fever, and Chikungunya.
