Evidence suggests the bacteria-infected insects can slow the spread of dengue, but they are difficult to mass produce. Wolbachia to spread into that population rather than to suppress it, and so the numbers of mosquitoes that need to be released are an order of magnitude lower than with a male-only suppression program,” said Steven Sinkins, a professor of microbiology and tropical medicine at University of Glasgow. And researchers want to find out if Wolbachia can help fight other diseases, such as malaria