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Simmons CP, Donald W, Tagavi L, Tarivonda L, Quai T, Tavoa R, Noran T, Manikaoti E, Kareaua L, Abwai TT, Chand D, Rama V, Deo V, Deo KK, Tavuii A, Valentine W, Prasad R, Seru E, Naituku L, Ratu A, Hesketh M, Kenny N, Beebe SC, Goundar AA, McCaw A, Buntine M, Green B, Frossard T, Gilles JRL, Joubert DA, Wilson G, Duong LQ, Bouvier JB, Stanford D, Forder C, Duyvestyn JM, Pacidônio EC, Flores HA, Wittmeier N, Retzki K, Ryan PA, Denton JA, Smithyman R, Tanamas SK, Kyrylos P, Dong Y, Khalid A, Hodgson L, Anders KL, O’Neill SL. Successful introgression of wMel Wolbachia into Aedes aegypti populations in Fiji, Vanuatu and Kiribati. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012022. [PMID: 38484041 PMCID: PMC10980184 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Pacific Island countries have experienced periodic dengue, chikungunya and Zika outbreaks for decades. The prevention and control of these mosquito-borne diseases rely heavily on control of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which in most settings are the primary vector. Introgression of the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia pipientis (wMel strain) into Ae. aegypti populations reduces their vector competence and consequently lowers dengue incidence in the human population. Here we describe successful area-wide deployments of wMel-infected Ae. aegypti in Suva, Lautoka, Nadi (Fiji), Port Vila (Vanuatu) and South Tarawa (Kiribati). With community support, weekly releases of wMel-infected Ae. aegypti mosquitoes for between 2 to 5 months resulted in wMel introgression in nearly all locations. Long term monitoring confirmed a high, self-sustaining prevalence of wMel infecting mosquitoes in almost all deployment areas. Measurement of public health outcomes were disrupted by the Covid19 pandemic but are expected to emerge in the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wesley Donald
- Ministry of Health, Government of Vanuatu, Port Vila, Vanuatu
| | - Lekon Tagavi
- Ministry of Health, Government of Vanuatu, Port Vila, Vanuatu
| | - Len Tarivonda
- Ministry of Health, Government of Vanuatu, Port Vila, Vanuatu
| | | | | | - Tebikau Noran
- Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Kiribati Government, Kiribati
| | - Erirau Manikaoti
- Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Kiribati Government, Kiribati
| | - Lavinia Kareaua
- Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Kiribati Government, Kiribati
| | | | - Dip Chand
- Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Government of Fiji, Suva, Fiji
| | - Vineshwaran Rama
- Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Government of Fiji, Suva, Fiji
| | - Vimal Deo
- Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Government of Fiji, Suva, Fiji
| | | | - Aminiasi Tavuii
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | - Anaseini Ratu
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Mark Hesketh
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Nichola Kenny
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Sarah C. Beebe
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | - Andrew McCaw
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Molly Buntine
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Ben Green
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Tibor Frossard
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | | | - Geoff Wilson
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Le Quyen Duong
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Jean B Bouvier
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Darren Stanford
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Carolyn Forder
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | - Kate Retzki
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Peter A. Ryan
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Jai A. Denton
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Ruth Smithyman
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | - Peter Kyrylos
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Yi Dong
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Anam Khalid
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Lauren Hodgson
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
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