title: Open field release of genetically engineered sterile male Aedes aegypti in Malaysia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dengue is the most important mosquito-borne viral disease. In the absence of specific drugs or vaccines, control focuses on suppressing the principal mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti, yet current methods have not proven adequate to control the disease. New methods are therefore urgently needed, for example genetics-based sterile-male-release methods. However, this requires that lab-reared, modified mosquitoes be able to survive and disperse adequately in the field.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adult male mosquitoes were released into an uninhabited forested area of Pahang, Malaysia. Their survival and dispersal was assessed by use of a network of traps. Two strains were used, an engineered 'genetically sterile' (OX513A) and a wild-type laboratory strain, to give both absolute and relative data about the performance of the modified mosquitoes. The two strains had similar maximum dispersal distances (220 m), but mean distance travelled of the OX513A strain was lower (52 vs. 100 m). Life expectancy was similar (2.0 vs. 2.2 days). Recapture rates were high for both strains, possibly because of the uninhabited nature of the site.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After extensive contained studies and regulatory scrutiny, a field release of engineered mosquitoes was safely and successfully conducted in Malaysia. The engineered strain showed similar field longevity to an unmodified counterpart, though in this setting dispersal was reduced relative to the unmodified strain. These data are encouraging for the future testing and implementation of genetic control strategies and will help guide future field use of this and other engineered strains.
authors.affiliation: Oxitec Sendirian Berhad, Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lacroix
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: McKemey
authors.forename: Norzahira
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Raduan
authors.forename: Lim
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kwee Wee
authors.forename: Wong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hong Ming
authors.forename: Teoh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Guat Ney
authors.forename: Siti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahidah A A
authors.forename: Sawaluddin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salman
authors.forename: Selvi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Subramaniam
authors.forename: Oreenaiza
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nordin
authors.forename: Norhaida
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hanum A T
authors.forename: Chandru
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Angamuthu
authors.forename: Suria
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marlina Mansor
authors.forename: Rosemary S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Lees
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Naish
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scaife
authors.forename: Pam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Geneviève
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Labbé
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beech
authors.forename: Derric
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nimmo
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alphey
authors.forename: Seshadri S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Vasan
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Han Lim
authors.forename: Nazni
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wasi A
authors.forename: Shahnaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murad
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000235:genetics*; D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002980:Climate; D003715:Dengue / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D003716:Dengue Virus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000235:genetics*; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000235:genetics*; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D009032:Mosquito Control; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric