Guidance framework for testing the sterile insect technique as a vector control tool against aedes-borne diseases

Overview

This document is intended to be a comprehensive guide for programme managers tasked with recommending a “go/no-go” decision on testing, full deployment and scale-up of the sterile insect technique (SIT) in regions of the world affected by diseases transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. However, the authors hope that the material presented herein will be used more widely—by scientists, decision makers, review groups and others.

The SIT has a long history of successfully combatting many pest species without negatively impacting the environment or health. This guidance document will inform stakeholders and all persons involved with SIT testing on vectors of human diseases about how to plan, develop, test and evaluate the impacts of the technology against Aedes mosquitoes, the main vectors of dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya and Zika. The nine chapters of this document cover the processes for decision support—including risk assessment and regulatory aspects, technical aspects (e.g., insect mass rearing), entomological and epidemiological indicators, as well as community involvement, cost-effectiveness and programme monitoring and evaluation.

The scope of this document covers programme initiation through pilot evaluation, while touching on aspects of scale-up and full implementation. The technical and operational details of SIT implementation are beyond the scope of this guidance, but readers are referred to other sources for this information.

The objectives of the guidance document on testing the sterile insect technique are to provide the necessary and sufficient information for decision-making in testing and for evaluating the outcomes and epidemiological and entomological impacts of this new vector control approach against Aedes mosquitoes, vectors of major arboviruses and Aedes-borne diseases.