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. 2015 Oct 28:8:563.
doi: 10.1186/s13071-015-1174-x.

Field evaluation of the establishment potential of wMelPop Wolbachia in Australia and Vietnam for dengue control

Tran Hien Nguyen  1 , H Le Nguyen  2 , Thu Yen Nguyen  3 , Sinh Nam Vu  4 , Nhu Duong Tran  5 , T N Le  6 , Quang Mai Vien  7 , T C Bui  8 , Huu Tho Le  9 , Simon Kutcher  10 , Tim P Hurst  11 , T T H Duong  12 , Jason A L Jeffery  13 , Jonathan M Darbro  14 , B H Kay  15 , Iñaki Iturbe-Ormaetxe  16 , Jean Popovici  17 , Brian L Montgomery  18 , Andrew P Turley  19 , Flora Zigterman  20 , Helen Cook  21 , Peter E Cook  22 , Petrina H Johnson  23 , Peter A Ryan  24 , Chris J Paton  25 , Scott A Ritchie  26 , Cameron P Simmons  27   28   29 , Scott L O'Neill  30 , Ary A Hoffmann  31
Affiliations

Field evaluation of the establishment potential of wMelPop Wolbachia in Australia and Vietnam for dengue control

Tran Hien Nguyen et al. Parasit Vectors. .

Abstract

Background: Introduced Wolbachia bacteria can influence the susceptibility of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to arboviral infections as well as having detrimental effects on host fitness. Previous field trials demonstrated that the wMel strain of Wolbachia effectively and durably invades Ae. aegypti populations. Here we report on trials of a second strain, wMelPop-PGYP Wolbachia, in field sites in northern Australia (Machans Beach and Babinda) and central Vietnam (Tri Nguyen, Hon Mieu Island), each with contrasting natural Ae. aegypti densities.

Methods: Mosquitoes were released at the adult or pupal stages for different lengths of time at the sites depending on changes in Wolbachia frequency as assessed through PCR assays of material collected through Biogents-Sentinel (BG-S) traps and ovitraps. Adult numbers were also monitored through BG-S traps. Changes in Wolbachia frequency were compared across hamlets or house blocks.

Results: Releases of adult wMelPop-Ae. aegypti resulted in the transient invasion of wMelPop in all three field sites. Invasion at the Australian sites was heterogeneous, reflecting a slower rate of invasion in locations where background mosquito numbers were high. In contrast, invasion across Tri Nguyen was relatively uniform. After cessation of releases, the frequency of wMelPop declined in all sites, most rapidly in Babinda and Tri Nguyen. Within Machans Beach the rate of decrease varied among areas, and wMelPop was detected for several months in an area with a relatively low mosquito density.

Conclusions: These findings highlight challenges associated with releasing Wolbachia-Ae. aegypti combinations with low fitness, albeit strong virus interference properties, as a means of sustainable control of dengue virus transmission.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Map of (a) Babinda, (b) Machans Beach and (c) Tri Nguyen where releases were undertaken. Numbers indicate main blocks comprising the release area
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Box plots for BG-S counts at (a) Babinda, (b) Machans Beach and (c) Tri Nguyen. Numbers on x axes indicate week of first release (0), and before/after first release. Symbols on the plots represent extreme outliers
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Observed density of females in the Tri Nguyen population during the release from BG-S counts (x axis) plotted against predicted numbers of release individuals present in the population (y axis) based on two values of daily mortality, (a) 0.9 and (b) 0.7. BG-S counts before the first release and predicted numbers after releases finished (but when released individuals were still expected to be present in the population) are also presented
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Changes in frequency of the infection and release numbers at (a) Babinda and (b) Tri Nguyen. For Babinda frequencies estimated from ovitraps are given in red, and those from the BG-S traps are given in blue. Release numbers are plotted separately for the two sexes. Error bars represent binomial 95 % confidence intervals
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Changes in (a) Wolbachia frequency, (b) number of uninfected individuals and (c) number of infected individuals in Babinda blocks as assessed by ovitraps. The Wolbachia frequencies as well as numbers of uninfected and infected larvae detected are given
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Changes in frequency of the infection and release rates at Machans Beach. Wolbachia frequencies from ovitraps and BG-S traps are plotted separately for the two sexes along with release numbers for the two sexes. Error bars represent binomial 95 % confidence intervals
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