[REVISION HISTORY]

Brazil expands Wolbachia mosquito releases

Updated 7 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-24 15:33 UTC → 2026-09-01 19:14 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Brazil is expanding its use of the Wolbachia bacterium to combat dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. Health regulator Anvisa has authorized the commercial production of Wolbachia-modified male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes at a Flyttr factory in Campinas. This expands national capacity beyond the previous sole producer, Wolbito, allowing for the weekly production of millions of insects. These non-biting males are released to mate with wild females, resulting in offspring that die before reaching adulthood. Field operations are scaling across several municipalities. In São José do Rio Preto, ~~following a period of high infection rates,~~ weekly releases are scheduled for September-October 2026 across ten priority neighborhoods. Curitiba launched its 26-week release program in the Sítio Cercado district on 29 July 2026, ~~with officials~~ noting a 94% decline in dengue cases. In Foz do Iguaçu, the ~~Wolbachia~~ method has entered its second stage, aiming for 100% municipal coverage across 28 neighborhoods; the city previously reported a 93% reduction in dengue cases in 2025. In Palmas, a ~~new~~ project ~~is being launched~~ in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Fiocruz, and Wolbito do ~~Brasil. Following a community engagement phase where 86.1% of surveyed residents approved the initiative,~~ Brasil is set to begin a gradual 26-week release ~~is scheduled to begin~~ in the second half of ~~October. An insectary will be established at~~ October, following 86.1% community approval. Additionally, the ~~Zoonoses Surveillance~~ city of Betim has commenced releasing ‘Wolbitos’ in five target neighborhoods, including Jardim Teresópolis and ~~Control Unit for~~ Santo Antônio. This initiative, a partnership between the World Mosquito Program Brasil, Fiocruz, and local ~~production.~~ government, utilizes mosquitoes produced in a Belo Horizonte biofactory. Other regions report ~~significant~~ successes with various ~~biological and surveillance~~ strategies. Presidente Prudente concluded a project with a 99.89% reduction in dengue cases, while Belém reported a 70.4% reduction ~~in cases~~ attributed to epidemiological surveillance and Larvicide Dissemination Stations (EDLs) developed by Fiocruz Amazônia.

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