Brazil bioinsecticide on Zika virus is in final production stage

Brazil's Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology has done the last toxicological tests of a new generation of a bioinsecticide capable of killing the larvae of the Aedes aegypti – which transmits dengue, Chikungunya fever and Zika – without hurting the people's health and domestic animals. Named Inova-Bti, the product was developed in partnership with the Mato Grosso Cotton Institute and can be an important ally to eliminate the insect.

Inova-Bti is a liquid that can be added in any place that accumulates water or have the potential to be a breeding of the Aedes aegypti. It causes death not only to larvae and the adult mosquito and it is not toxic for humans nor domestic animals. Besides, the application is easy and can be manipulated by any person.

All of the laboratory and effectiveness tests already concluded by Embrapa. But, before being sold, the product should be registered at the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa).

This is the second biological insecticide developed by Embrapa with the goal of combating the mosquito larvae. Since 2005, it has sold the product Br-horus – which was made in partnership with the company Bthek Biotechnology – but it is not produced in large scale in the country.

The researcher in the Biological Control area at Embrapa, Rose Moennerat, explains that the two larvicides are biological, do not affect the environment nor put at risk the human health. However, the new product, Inova-Bti, was formulated with modern adjuvants with high efficiency.

“The formulation is a little different from the first bioinsecticide, but both have the same active ingredients and are excellent products,” highlights Monnerat. “The toxicological tests of Inova-Bti are under final stage and we will submit the full dossier with all the documents to Anvisa”.

Last week, Brazil's Agriculture Minister Kátia Abreu defended the use of biological insecticides in the control of the Aedes aegypti and actions to control the Zika virus.

Br-horus was already used in the cities of Três Lagoas (Mato Grosso do Sul), São Sebastião (Federal District), Rio das Ostras (Rio de Janeiro) and Sorriso (Mato Grosso), always with positive results. Insecticides based on Bacillus thuringiensis israelenses (Bti) are used for decades in countries like the United States.

According to the researcher, the Mato Grosso Cotton Institute has the capacity to produce 1,600 liters of Inova-Bti for a week, as soon as the registration is granted. The recommendation for each family is to use a bottle of 30 ml. Therefore, it is estimated that nearly 53,000 households can be met by week. With the growing demand for the bioinsecticide, there is a possibility to double the production in a short time, says the researcher.