Matching the genetics of released and local Aedes aegypti populations is critical to assure Wolbachia invasion.
Gabriela de Azambuja GarciaGabriel SylvestreRaquel AguiarGuilherme Borges da CostaAdemir Jesus MartinsJosé Bento Pereira LimaMartha T PetersenRicardo Lourenço-de-OliveiraMarion F ShadboltGordana RašićAry A HoffmannDaniel A M VillelaFernando B S DiasYi DongScott L O'NeillLuciano Andrade MoreiraRafael Maciel-de-FreitasPublished in: PLoS neglected tropical diseases (2019)
Local householders support was constantly high, reaching 90% backing on the second release (wMelRio strain). Notwithstanding the drought summer, the harsh temperature recorded (daily average above 30°C) did not seem to affect the expression of maternal transmission of wMel on a Brazilian background. Wolbachia deployment should match the insecticide resistance profile of the wild population to achieve invasion. Considering pyrethroid-resistance is a widely distributed phenotype in natural Ae. aegypti populations, future Wolbachia deployments must pay special attention in maintaining insecticide resistance in lab colonies for releases.