Brazilian cities São José and Anápolis begin Wolbachia mosquito releases to curb dengue

The municipality of São José has launched the communication and engagement phase of the Wolbachia method, a biological approach that introduces Wolbachia‑infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to suppress dengue, Zika and chikungunya transmission. The program, developed by Fiocruz with the Ministry of Health and operated by Wolbito do Brasil, will eventually cover 143,718 residents in eight neighborhoods and will involve weekly releases of "Wolbitos" monitored for bacterial spread and disease impact.

In the state of Goiás, Anápolis is set to start its Wolbachia deployment in August after completing all technical requirements. The city will treat more than 398,000 people across 45 neighborhoods by placing egg‑containing containers in pre‑selected sites rather than releasing adult mosquitoes. Over 200 ovitraps already monitor mosquito density to guide placements. Health officials emphasize that the bacteria are naturally occurring, non‑genetically‑modified and safe for humans, echoing findings from Fiocruz, ANVISA and international health bodies. Both cities join a growing list of Brazilian municipalities using the technique, which has shown up to a 70% reduction in dengue cases in other locations such as Niterói.