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. 2016 Sep 23:6:33846.
doi: 10.1038/srep33846.

Female Adult Aedes albopictus Suppression by Wolbachia-Infected Male Mosquitoes

James W Mains  1 , Corey L Brelsfoard  1 , Robert I Rose  2 , Stephen L Dobson  1   3
Affiliations

Female Adult Aedes albopictus Suppression by Wolbachia-Infected Male Mosquitoes

James W Mains et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Dengue, chikungunya and zika viruses are pathogens with an increasing global impact. In the absence of an approved vaccine or therapy, their management relies on controlling the mosquito vectors. But traditional controls are inadequate, and the range of invasive species such as Aedes albopictus (Asian Tiger Mosquito) is expanding. Genetically modified mosquitoes are being tested, but their use has encountered regulatory barriers and public opposition in some countries. Wolbachia bacteria can cause a form of conditional sterility, which can provide an alternative to genetic modification or irradiation. It is unknown however, whether openly released, artificially infected male Ae. albopictus can competitively mate and sterilize females at a level adequate to suppress a field population. Also, the unintended establishment of Wolbachia at the introduction site could result from horizontal transmission or inadvertent female release. In 2014, an Experimental Use Permit from the United States Environmental Protection Agency approved a pilot field trial in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. Here, we present data showing localized reduction of both egg hatch and adult female numbers. The artificial Wolbachia type was not observed to establish in the field. The results are discussed in relation to the applied use of Wolbachia-infected males as a biopesticide to suppress field populations of Ae. albopictus.

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Conflict of interest statement

J.W.M., C.L.B. and S.L.D. are paid employees of MosquitoMate, a for-profit company. S.L.D. is a Full Professor at the University of Kentucky. B.R. is a paid consultant for MosquitoMate. This does not alter our adherence to all Scientific Reports policies.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mean (a) number of female adult Ae. albopictus collected using BG traps and (b) percent hatch of Ae. albopictus eggs collected using oviposition traps at the Treated and Untreated sites in the 2013 field season. There were no incompatible males introduced at either site in 2013. Bars show 95% confidence intervals.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mean (a) number of female adult Ae. albopictus collected using BG traps and (b) percent hatch of Ae. albopictus eggs collected using oviposition traps at the Treated and Untreated sites in the 2014 field season. In 2014, incompatible males were introduced at the Treated site only. Bars show 95% confidence intervals.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Egg hatch is correlated with distance from the male introduction point, among sites within the Treated area.
Eggs that were collected closer to the male introduction point experienced a lower hatch rate in July (R2 = 0.105, F(1,129) = 14.96, p < 0.0002) and August (R2 = 0.158, F(1,118) = 21.94, p < 0.0001). Similar but non-significant trends were observed in June and September (p > 0.13).
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