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Transforming Boundaries into Bridges: Lessons Learned from Asia and Americas for Dengue Control Symposium

Transforming Boundaries into Bridges: Lessons Learned from Asia and Americas for Dengue Control Symposium

179 - Project Wolbachia: Enhancing Singapore’s Integrated Strategy for Dengue Prevention

Wednesday, March 5, 2025
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM AST
Location: 208 A
Abstract: Project Wolbachia – Singapore combines the insect incompatible technique with sterile insect technique (IIT-SIT) to reduce mosquito populations and control arbovirus transmission. The approach involves releases of irradiated, male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia, a maternally inherited endosymbiotic bacterium. Matings involving Wolbachia-infected males, and non-infected (wild-type) females yield non-viable eggs due to cytoplasmic incompatibility. Since 2016, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has been testing Wolbachia-based, IIT-SIT via a phased approach in Singapore’s high-rise residential estates. Data from initial study sites (2019 to 2022) in Bukit Batok, Choa Chu Kang, Tampines and Yishun showed an 80-90% reduction in the Aedes aegypti population and a corresponding reduction of up to 77% in dengue risk, despite incomplete area coverage. In a recent 2-year cluster randomized controlled trial (2022 to 2024), we demonstrated at least a 70% reduction of the Aedes aegypti population after 12 months of releases. Correspondingly, a 70% reduction in dengue risk (test-negative data) and a 74% reduction in clustered dengue cases were achieved after only 3 months of releases. These results demonstrate the potential of Wolbachia suppression technology for strengthening dengue control in tropical cities, where dengue burden is the greatest.

    Presenter(s)

  • Denise Tan, MSc, PhD (she/her/hers)

    Senior Scientist
    Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, Singapore

    • Co-Author(s)

  • JL

    Jue Tao Lim

    Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

  • BD

    Borame Sue Dickens

    Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore

  • LT

    Li Yun Tan

    Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore

  • CL

    Caleb Lee

    Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore

  • MZ

    Mohammad Faizal Zulkifli

    Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore

  • JL

    Jonathan Liew

    Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore

  • YL

    Yee Ling Lai

    Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore

  • CC

    Chia Chen Chang

    Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore

  • YN

    You Ming Ng

    Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore

  • LD

    Lu Deng

    Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore

  • KV

    Kathryn Vasquez

    Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore

  • CC

    Chee Seng Chong

    Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore

  • SS

    Shuzhen Sim

    Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore

  • JW

    Judith Chui Ching Wong

    Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore

  • CT

    Cheong Huat Tan

    Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore

  • LN

    Lee Ching Ng

    Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore