Characterisation of novel Wolbachia-infected Aedes albopictus lines for the control of dengue virus in Malaysia.

A technique for the biological control of dengue virus (DENV) involves injection of mosquitos with the intracellular bacterium, Wolbachia pipientis, which can block replication of the virus. Aedes albopictus is one of the most significant vectors of DENV. However, due to negative temperature-dependent effects on Wolbachia transmission, no Wolbachia-infected Ae. albopictus line has been generated that is suitable for use in tropical countries, where DENV is most prevalent. Therefore, this project aims to create new Ae. albopictus lines using novel Wolbachia strains, for which preliminary data from characterisation in Ae. aegypti indicate that they may be appropriate for use in tropical countries. Following creation of the lines, each strain will be assessed for its effect on host fitness, capacity to induce cytoplasmic incompatibility, inheritance of Wolbachia and extent of virus blocking. Furthermore, how Wolbachia spreads in the environment will also be investigated by characterising breeding sites around release sites, using Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as a tropical climate model. Breeding site and host fitness data will be used to generate a model on the theoretical impact releases of each strain could have on DENV transmission.