Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Sterile Insect Technique: Successful Suppression of Aedes Aegypti Field Population in Cuba

Version 1 : Received: 5 April 2021 / Approved: 6 April 2021 / Online: 6 April 2021 (15:27:55 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Gato, R.; Menéndez, Z.; Prieto, E.; Argilés, R.; Rodríguez, M.; Baldoquín, W.; Hernández, Y.; Pérez, D.; Anaya, J.; Fuentes, I.; Lorenzo, C.; González, K.; Campo, Y.; Bouyer, J. Sterile Insect Technique: Successful Suppression of an Aedes aegypti Field Population in Cuba. Insects 2021, 12, 469. Gato, R.; Menéndez, Z.; Prieto, E.; Argilés, R.; Rodríguez, M.; Baldoquín, W.; Hernández, Y.; Pérez, D.; Anaya, J.; Fuentes, I.; Lorenzo, C.; González, K.; Campo, Y.; Bouyer, J. Sterile Insect Technique: Successful Suppression of an Aedes aegypti Field Population in Cuba. Insects 2021, 12, 469.

Abstract

Dengue virus infections are a serious public health problem worldwide. Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of dengue in Cuba. Since there is no vaccine or specific treatment, the control efforts are directed to reduce mosquito populations. The indiscriminate use of pesticides can lead to increase insecticide resistance as well as adverse effects on human health. The sterile insect technique is a species-specific and environmental friendly method of insect control based on the release of large numbers of sterile males. The success of this technique in sustainable control of agricultural pests has encouraged its evaluation for mosquito control. Here, we describe an open field trial to evaluate the effect of the release of irradiated males on a wild population of Aedes aegypti. The case-control study was performed in a suburb of Havana, and compared the mosquito population before and after the intervention, in both control and treated areas. The wild population was monitored by an ovitrap network, recording frequency and density of eggs as well as their hatch rate. A significant induced sterility was observed in the field population, compared to the control. The ovitrap index and the mean eggs/ trap declined dramatically after an expected lag period of twelve and five weeks, respectively. For the last three weeks, no egg was collected in the treated area, evidencing a significant suppression of the wild population. We conclude that the sterile males released competed successfully, and induced enough sterility to suppress the local Aedes aegypti population.

Keywords

sterile insect technique; Aedes aegypti; suppression study; irradiation; vector control

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Anatomy and Physiology

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