Marking World Mosquito Day

Pictured: ZiP Diagnostics activities contributing to the development of a point-of-care diagnostic platform for detection of mosquito borne infections.

World Mosquito Day (20^th August) commemorates British doctor Sir Ronald Ross's groundbreaking 1897 discovery that female mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans. Today, more than a century later, the battle against mosquito-borne diseases continues with Australian ingenuity leading innovative solutions.

ZiP Diagnostics, an innovative Australian medtech manufacturer based in Melbourne, is developing next-generation point-of-care tests for infectious diseases.

Through strategic investment from Health Security Systems Australia (a division of DMTC) and with support from Defence scientists, ZiP Diagnostics is collaborating with Australian manufacturer Axxin to develop an innovative point-of-care diagnostic platform for detection of mosquito borne infections. ZiP is leading the development of a multiplexed test capable of detecting multiple mosquito-borne infections from a single sample, including dengue fever, chikungunya, and malaria.

As we mark World Mosquito Day today, this work takes on particular significance. Almost 700 million people contract a mosquito-borne disease every year, leading to over one million deaths annually. Since the beginning of 2025 alone, 3.6 million cases of dengue infection and over 1,900 dengue-related deaths have been reported across 94 countries worldwide.

Our Australian-made solution will address a critical gap in global health infrastructure. ZiP's portable, field-ready diagnostic platform can deliver results rapidly, enabling immediate treatment and containment measures.

The collaboration exemplifies Australian innovation at its best – combining local manufacturing expertise, strategic defence partnerships, and world-class research excellence to tackle global health challenges while strengthening Australia’s health and national security through enhanced biosurveillance capabilities.