The Potential for Wolbachia-Based Mosquito Biocontrol Strategies in Africa

The three foremost medically important mosquito species of public health importance belong to the genera Anopheles, Aedes, and Culex. The Anopheles mosquito is the most important in the transmission of human malaria, while members of the genera Culex and Aedes are more important in the transmission of arboviruses. Reducing the number of competent vectors has been identified as a logical method for the control of malarial and arboviral vector-borne diseases. This chapter provides an update on the potentials of biological vector control, specifically the release of endosymbionts to help limit the reproductive capability of mosquitoes, thereby reducing the population of the disease vectors in Africa. There are examples of successful suppression of mosquito-borne diseases by the establishment of Wolbachia in mosquito populations elsewhere, however, there has been no such report from the African continent. Although the establishment of stable maternally transmissible Wolbachia in natural mosquito populations is yet to be achieved in Africa, this area of research is experiencing unprecedented progress within the past decade. Many of the research efforts are hereby highlighted, including the problems and prospects of establishing a Wolbachia-based biocontrol program in Africa