Researchers have confirmed that a benign bacterium can completely block transmission of Zika virus in Aedes aegypti the mosquito species responsible for passing the virus to humans. The bacteria called Wolbachia pipientis could present a 'novel biological control mechanism' aiding efforts to stop the spread of Zika virus said Matthew Aliota scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) and first author of the study. The findings were reported in the journal Scientific Reports. Wolbachia can be found in up to 60 per cent of insects around the world including butterflies and bees. While not typically found
