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. 2016 Mar;72(3):618-28.
doi: 10.1002/ps.4151. Epub 2015 Oct 16.

Short-term suppression of Aedes aegypti using genetic control does not facilitate Aedes albopictus

Kevin Gorman  1 , Josué Young  2 , Lleysa Pineda  2 , Ricardo Márquez  2 , Nestor Sosa  2 , Damaris Bernal  2 , Rolando Torres  2 , Yamilitzel Soto  2 , Renaud Lacroix  1 , Neil Naish  1 , Paul Kaiser  1 , Karla Tepedino  1 , Gwilym Philips  1 , Cecilia Kosmann  1 , Lorenzo Cáceres  2
Affiliations

Short-term suppression of Aedes aegypti using genetic control does not facilitate Aedes albopictus

Kevin Gorman et al. Pest Manag Sci. 2016 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Under permit from the National Biosafety Commission for the use of genetically modified organisms, releases of a genetically engineered self-limiting strain of Aedes aegypti (OX513A) were used to suppress urban pest Ae. aegypti in West Panama. Experimental goals were to assess the effects on a coexisting population of Ae. albopictus and examine operational parameters with relevance to environmental impact.

Results: Ae. albopictus populations were shown to be increasing year upon year at each of three study sites, potentially reflecting a broader-scale incursion into the area. Ae. albopictus abundance was unaffected by a sustained reduction in Ae. aegypti by up to 93% through repeated releases of OX513A. Males accounted for 99.99% of released OX513A, resulting in a sustained mating fraction of 75%. Mean mating competitiveness of OX513A was 0.14. The proportion of OX513A in the local environment decreased by 95% within 25 days of the final release.

Conclusions: There was no evidence for species replacement of Ae. aegypti by Ae. albopictus over the course of this study. No unintentional environmental impacts or elevated operational risks were observed. The potential for this emerging technology to mitigate against disease outbreaks before they become established is discussed.

Keywords: OX513A; Panama; chikungunya; dengue; mosquito; transgenic.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Satellite image (map data March 2013: Google, USA) showing the location of the study area in West Panama (highlighted by black rectangle) and the production facility at the Gorgas Memorial Institute for Human Health, Panama City (highlighted by black star). (b) Satellite image (map data January 2014: DigitalGlobe, USA) showing the study area and locations of the study sites: T = treated with OX513A (Nuevo Chorrillo); UT1 = untreated (Lluvia de Oro); UT2 = untreated (Princesa Mia).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Minimum and maximum temperatures (°C) and rainfall amounts (mm) in Arraijan, Panama, over a 3 year period (1 January 2012 to 1 December 2014). The period of OX513A releases (25 April 2014 to 31 October 2014) is indicated by the shaded area. Data provided by Weather Analytics.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Abundance (mean larvae per trap) and presence (ovitrap index) of Aedes albopictus at all three experimental sites from January 2012 to the study endpoint at 200 days after first treatment (11 November 2014). The dotted line represents untreated site 1 (UT1), the dashed line untreated site 2 (UT2) and the solid line treated site T.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) Numbers of OX513A Aedes aegypti adults released at the treated site on 81 separate occasions throughout the study period. The target release rate (60 000) is indicated by the dashed line; the actual mean release rate (52 469; SD = 13 539) is indicated by the dotted line. (b) Percentage of OX513A adults released that were male for each individual release event. Batches without a data label had no detectable females.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Percentage of Aedes aegypti larvae that were fluorescent. Fluorescent larvae could only have been fathered by an OX513A male, and therefore the percentage fluorescence represented the mating fraction. The final release of OX513A was 189 days after first treatment (DAT1) and is indicated by the dotted line; the endpoint of the study (200 DAT1) is indicated by the dashed line.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Four‐week moving averages showing percentage change in Aedes aegypti abundance at the treated site, measured by mean number of Ae. aegypti larvae per trap relative to (a) UT1 and (b) UT2. The final release of OX513A (highlighted by the dotted line) was 189 days after first treatment.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Four‐week moving averages showing abundance (mean numbers per ovitrap) of Ae. albopictus during the period of Ae. aegypti suppression (from 123 days after first treatment until the end of the study period) at sites (a) UTI, (b) UT2 and (c) T. The final release of OX513A (highlighted by the dotted line) was 189 days after first treatment.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Four‐week moving averages showing percentage change in Aedes aegypti presence at the treated site, measured by the percentage of traps positive for Ae. aegypti relative to (a) UT1 and (b) UT2. The final release of OX513A (highlighted by the dotted line) was 189 days after first treatment.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Four‐week moving averages showing presence (percentage of positive ovitraps) of Ae. albopictus during the period of Ae. aegypti suppression (from 123 days after first treatment until the end of the study period) at sites (a) UTI, (b) UT2 and (c) T. The final release of OX513A (highlighted by the dotted line) was 189 days after first treatment.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Abundance levels of Aedes aegypti at the UT1 and T sites at the start and end of the study period, shown as the number of pupae per person, estimated from mark–release–recapture statistics and known numbers of OX513A males released at the treated site. Dotted lines represent predicted dengue transmission thresholds at different seroprevalence rates of 0% (1.05 pupae per person), 33% (1.55 pupae per person) and 67% (3.41 pupae per person).26
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