DILI, 28 february 2023 (TATOLI) – Timor-Leste’s National Director of Public Health, Frederico Bosco, has revealed that the Ministry of Health (MoH) will begin, in june 2023, the implementation of the Wolbachia method to reduce the incidence of dengue fever in the country.
The implementation of the project will take place first in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste.
“We will implement the Wolbachia method in Dili, especially in the Administrative Post of Dom Aleixo where the incidence of dengue was high. After that, we will expand the implementation of the method to other administrative posts across Dili,” he said.
Bosco said that Australia was one of the countries in Asia to successfully use mosquitoes with Wolbachia to control dengue fever.
He, therefore, said that Timor-Leste’s female Aedes aegypti mosquito would be sent to Australia to mate with the Australian Wolbachia-Aedes male: “These mosquitoes would be returned to Timor-Leste and released first in Dili to be mated with other mosquitoes to fight dengue.”
Aedes aegypti is a type of mosquito known to spread viruses including dengue, Zika, and chikungunya.
He pointed out that when the Aedes aegypti mosquito carries naturally occurring bacteria called Wolbachia, they reduce the mosquitoes’ ability to transmit viruses such as dengue, Zika, and so on.
The time frame for the implementation of the Wolbachia method will take place between 2023 and 2025.
The government of Timor-Leste, through the Ministry of Health, has allocated US$4.7 million for the implementation of the Wolbachia method project.
Previously, Bosco said that 11 countries have successfully implemented this kind of prevention and control strategy to counter the dengue virus: “For instance, prior to the implementation of this method, the number of hospitalizations of patients with dengue was high in Indonesia. However, after the implementation of this program in 2016, the number of dengue cases decreased dramatically in the following years.”
He said that MoH has been working closely with Menzies Australia, and the World Mosquito Program led by Monash University in Australia to share related information and knowledge on the preparation process for the implementation of this prevention and control strategy to combat dengue in Timor-Leste.
Bosco concluded that scientists infected the mosquitoes with Wolbachia, aiming to block their ability to transmit viruses. “Wolbachia is a naturally occurring bacteria that is harmless to people and carried by 60 percent of insect species including fruit flies, dragonflies, and moths.”
How mosquitoes with Wolbachia are used to control Ae. aegypti mosquitoes:
- Wolbachia bacteria are not found in Ae. aegypti mosquitoes.
- Scientists introduced Wolbachia into Ae. aegypti mosquito eggs.
- When male Ae. Aegypti mosquitoes with Wolbachia mate with wild female mosquitoes that do not have Wolbachia, the eggs will not hatch.
- Male mosquitoes with Wolbachia are released regularly into an area by mosquito control professionals.
- Male mosquitoes with Wolbachia mate with wild female mosquitoes.
- Because the eggs don’t hatch, the number of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes decrease.
Journalist: Felicidade Ximenes
Editor : Zezito Silva
Translation: Filomeno Martins/ Editor: Nelia Borges
