Eliminate Dengue research trials in Cairns North and Bungalow

E: cairns@eliminatedengue.com www.eliminatedengue.com

Contact us for more information Ph: 1800 811 054

How we test the Wolbachia method

Research timeline2008 Laboratory work shows that Wolbachia blocks dengue viruses in the mosquito

2009 Mosquito Research Facility (MRF) opens at James Cook University, Cairns

2009 - 2011 Experiments in the MRF show Wolbachia can establish in mosquito populations

2010 The Australian Government gives approval for the first Wolbachia field trials to proceed

2011 - 2014 Wolbachia mosquitoes released and monitored in Cairns suburbs:

The Eliminate Dengue research program is developing a natural method to reduce the spread of dengue, which we began trialling in areas of Cairns North and Bungalow in late July this year.

We have developed mosquitoes with Wolbachia, bacteria that naturally occur in many insects and reduce the mosquitoes’ ability to transmit dengue.

Over the past few years, we have released Wolbachia mosquitoes in other areas of Cairns – all with community support and government approval – and we have demonstrated that we can establish Wolbachia in mosquito populations.

We are now conducting a further trial in areas of Cairns North and Bungalow to see if Wolbachia will establish in the mosquito population in this area, using new mosquito release methods. To do this, we will continue releasing small numbers of Wolbachia mosquitoes for up to four months. We will then monitor mosquitoes in the area to see if Wolbachia is spreading into the mosquito population.

Wolbachia mosquito releases are going ahead with the support of the local community and approval from the Australian government.

Release of Wolbachia mosquitoes

Trap and monitor mosquitoes

We will continue releasing Wolbachia mosquitoes for up to four months. We have asked permission from some residents to place an egg release container on their properties. We will not release mosquitoes at your property if you do not want us to do so.

We have asked permission from some residents to place a mosquito-monitoring trap on their properties. We collect mosquitoes from the traps each week and test them to see how many are Wolbachia mosquitoes. We will regularly update the community about the results.

Thank you for supporting our researchWe greatly appreciate the number of people who have allowed us to place egg release containers and mosquito-monitoring traps on their properties.

Please contact us to register your support or if you have any questions or concerns about our research.

• Gordonvale• Yorkeys Knob• Machans

Beach• Babinda• Edge Hill/

Whitfield

• Parramatta Park

• Westcourt• Stratford/

Freshwater• Cairns North• Bungalow

1 2

Visit the Cairns project office at: Suite 11/36 Grafton St, Cairns Visit the program website www.eliminatedengue.com for research progress updates

A natural control method

Wolbachia are naturally occurring bacteria that are present in many insects, including the Cairns birdwing butterfly (pictured). Wolbachia is safe for people, animals and the environment.Wolbachia does not occur naturally in the mosquito that transmits dengue but, when introduced, Wolbachia reduces the ability of the mosquito to transmit dengue.In addition to developing the Wolbachia method in Australia, the Eliminate Dengue research program is also working with local scientists and communities in Vietnam, Indonesia, Brazil, China and Colombia. Our research in Cairns North and Bungalow will help to develop our method, paving the way to reduce the global burden of dengue.To find out more about the progress of our work visit www.eliminatedengue.com and subscribe to our e-newsletter.

How we hope to reduce dengue transmissionThe Aedes aegypti mosquito is responsible for transmitting dengue between people (Diagram A). When Wolbachia is introduced into the Aedes aegypti mosquito it reduces the mosquito’s ability to pass dengue between people (Diagram B).When we release Wolbachia mosquitoes they breed with other mosquitoes, passing the Wolbachia to their offspring and subsequent generations. In this way we can establish Wolbachia in the mosquito population (Diagram C) and reduce dengue transmission.

Bites dengue infected person

1

Mosquito ingests blood with dengue virus. Takes 10-12 days for dengue virus to incubate.

2

Dengue infected mosquito bites another person

3

That person gets dengue 4-13 days later

4

WildAedes aegypti

mosquito

WolbachiaAedes aegypti

mosquito

That person doesn’t get dengue

4

Bites dengue infected person

1

Mosquito ingests blood with dengue virus - Wolbachia blocks the dengue virus

2

Dengue infected mosquito with Wolbachia bites another person

3

A. How dengue is transmitted

B. Wolbachia blocks dengue virus

C. Wolbachia methodThe Eliminate Dengue research program is a not-for-profit international collaboration with many partnering institutions including Monash University, Melbourne, James Cook University, Cairns, and the University of Melbourne.

Our research in Australia is funded by:

• The Foundation for the National Institutes for Health through the Grand Challenges in Global Health Initiative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

• A Wellcome Trust Award

• The Australian and Queensland governments.