title: Combining the Sterile Insect Technique with Wolbachia-Based Approaches: II--A Safer Approach to Aedes albopictus Population Suppression Programmes, Designed to Minimize the Consequences of Inadvertent Female Release.
abstract: Due to the absence of a perfect method for mosquito sex separation, the combination of the sterile insect technique and the incompatible insect technique is now being considered as a potentially effective method to control Aedes albopictus. In this present study first we examine the minimum pupal irradiation dose required to induce complete sterility in Wolbachia triple-infected (HC), double-infected (GUA) and uninfected (GT) female Ae. albopictus. The HC line is a candidate for Ae. albopictus population suppression programmes, but due to the risk of population replacement which characterizes this triple infected line, the individuals to be released need to be additionally irradiated. After determining the minimum irradiation dose required for complete female sterility, we test whether sterilization is sufficient to prevent invasion of the triple infection from the HC females into double-infected (GUA) populations. Our results indicate that irradiated Ae. albopictus HC, GUA and GT strain females have decreased fecundity and egg hatch rate when irradiated, inversely proportional to the dose, and the complete sterilization of females can be acquired by pupal irradiation with doses above 28 Gy. PCR-based analysis of F1 and F2 progeny indicate that the irradiated HC females, cannot spread the new Wolbachia wPip strain into a small cage GUA population, released at a 1:5 ratio. Considering the above results, we conclude that irradiation can be used to reduce the risk of population replacement caused by an unintentional release of Wolbachia triple-infected Ae. albopictus HC strain females during male release for population suppression.
authors.affiliation: Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna, Austria; Sun Yat-sen University-Michigan State University Joint Center of Vector Control for Tropical Diseases, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Dongjing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Rosemary Susan
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Lees
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-sen University-Michigan State University Joint Center of Vector Control for Tropical Diseases, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China; Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America.
authors.forename: Zhiyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.affiliation: Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Jeremie R L
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gilles
authors.affiliation: Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bourtzis
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000382:microbiology*; D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D007246:Infertility; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods*; D010053:Ovary / Q000528:radiation effects; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013559:Symbiosis; D020577:Wolbachia / Q000502:physiology*