In Comas, a district on the edge of Lima, dengue is woven into daily life. But Peru is now taking a different approach - one that goes beyond outbreak response. Carlos Pineda reports on how a national commitment to our Wolbachia method is putting long-term disease prevention firmly in the hands of Peruvian communities and the state.

Dengue in Lima: a disease that has become part of everyday life

In the bustling district of Comas, which lies along the Chillón River valley, near the foothills of the Andes, dengue stopped being a distinct statistic long ago. For many families, the disease is part of everyday life in this populous area of Peru's capital, Lima.

"Here in Comas, dengue is normal; people have, to some extent, lost their fear of it," says resident Liliana González.

Like her, thousands have experienced first-hand the effects of a disease that, over the past year, has significantly affected both adults and children across the country. In 2024, there were more than 271,500 cases reported and over 39,000 last year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). This situation has led Peru to rethink how it addresses dengue. Beyond outbreak response, the country is moving toward a model that prioritises sustainable, long-term solutions.

A national partnership built on local ownership

In Lima, specifically in the district of Comas, an intervention is taking shape that redefines international cooperation in public health. This is a strategic partnership aimed at transferring technological knowledge and transforming the Wolbachia method of the World Mosquito Program (WMP) into an installed, sovereign, and self-sustaining capacity of the Peruvian State.

This partnership is grounded in a national commitment and a co-financing scheme that is uncommon in the region for initiatives of this kind. The Ministry of Health (MINSA) has assumed financial leadership of the plan, covering more than 50 per cent of the total investment with domestic resources, complemented by support from the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust (PRVCU), the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and technical accompaniment from the World Mosquito Program (WMP). This approach positions Peru as a regional benchmark, investing directly in its long-term health security.

What Peru's model means for the future of dengue control

The Comas project shows how countries can build their own long-term capacity to fight dengue. When WMP's support eventually ends, Peru will have the knowledge and technical expertise needed to run and sustain the Wolbachia programme on its own. This experience shows that innovation can grow and last when it is built on national leadership and local capacity — turning our Wolbachia method into a tool that the government and communities can use to protect themselves from dengue for years to come.

Wolbachia mosquito releases are due to begin in Comas later this month, and many hope it will expand to other regions of the country, bringing hope in the fight against mosquito-borne diseases.

Communities as active partners in dengue prevention

People in the community clearly understand this approach. "You can tell this is not an experiment, but something meant to protect us," says Mirna, a community leader from Zone 4 in Comas. "Knowing that it has worked in countries like Australia, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia makes me grateful for how the Ministry of Health is informing us and working to protect us." For school principals, health promoters, and neighbourhood leaders, the plan's value also comes from clear information and from involving communities as active partners in the solution.

Sharing knowledge in this way helps ensure that the programme can continue in the future without relying on a permanent international presence. Instead, it strengthens the public health system — from national authorities and regulators to health promoters working directly in communities.

"We have been fighting dengue for many years," explains Isabel Alarcón, an officer of the Incident Management System for the Wolbachia Plan. "Learning about a natural method with a strong focus on community participation, and working closely with the Ministry of Health, helps us understand it and adapt it to our local reality."

Wolbito do Brasil looks like any other office from the outside. Step beyond the meeting rooms, though, and you enter the world’s largest mosquito biofactory. In Curitiba, teams are producing Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia, a nature-based method that can help reduce dengue, Zika and chikungunya transmission. Built through a partnership between the World Mosquito Program, Fiocruz and IBMP, the facility is designed to support Brazil’s expanding national rollout and reach more communities at scale.

Expanding Wolbachia access across Brazil through WMP, Fiocruz and IBMP

The major facility, with more than 3,500 m² of built area, will dramatically expand access across the country to Wolbachia (known as Wolbitos in Brazil) mosquitoes, a nature-based disease control method that has significantly reduced the incidence of dengue, Zika and chikungunya, in Rio de Janeiro and Niterói since the method was first deployed in these cities in 2014. It is a result of a joint venture between the World Mosquito Program (WMP), Fiocruz, and the Institute of Molecular Biology of Paraná (IBMP).

The partnership builds on years of collaboration between WMP and Fiocruz, which has helped protect more than five million Brazilians across eight cities using WMP's innovative Wolbachia technology over the past decade.

The biologist explains that his team is made up of a diverse range of skillsets and backgrounds, from fellow biologists to pharmacists, veterinarians, and biomedical professionals. In a room with more than ten million mosquitoes inside the cages, you’d be forgiven for not feeling itchy from time to time, but Antonio takes it all in his stride. He admits one of the bigger challenges at the start was getting the expertise and knowledge from people across the country that know how to rear mosquitoes.

“It’s a unique facility and a new challenge,” he says. “It’s never been done on this scale before, so we’re developing many different things to produce more than 100 million eggs per week, and to attend to roughly 14 million people a year.

“We’re currently protecting six cities in Brazil as Wolbito. Three in the south: Joinville, Blumenau and Balneário Camboriú. And three in the centre: our capital city, Brasília, Valparaíso de Goiás and Luziânia.”

Antonio believes the new partnerships in Brazil will really help build on the successes already achieved in cities like Niterói. “Last year, we had the worst dengue epidemic ever in Brazil, with more than six million cases in the country. And yet, in cities like Niterói, our first municipality to be fully protected by Wolbitos, we had a reduction of (dengue cases) 89 per cent, which I hope can be replicated elsewhere.”

Ministry of Health scale-up: plans to reach 140 million people in 40 municipalities

The facility is currently exclusively used by the Ministry of Health (MOH), which has incorporated Wolbachia as one of its national strategies for combatting mosquito-borne diseases. The growing national demand is extremely high, and the MOH hopes to reach more than 140 million people across 40 municipalities with high dengue rates, in the coming years.

In the next room, production coordinators Marlene Salazar and Luciane Martins are overseeing the egg production process. For Marlene, it has been a big change not only in the working environment but also in both languages and culture. She previously worked for WMP coordinating the biofactory team in Medellín, Colombia, and arrived in Curitiba in April.

“I worked for seven years at WMP Colombia as a biofactory coordinator,” says Marlene, who has very quickly adapted to her new home and learned Portuguese in a matter of months. “It was a big challenge both professionally and personally to move from Colombia to Brazil as it was a different language, new people to work with, and the scale of production here is so much bigger.

“There’s also a shift from the manual way of working to a much more automated process — it’s an exciting time to work here. People love their jobs as we are doing very different things to save people’s lives.”

Luciane, a pharmacist, with a Master’s in industrial biotechnology, explains just how complex the mosquito production process is, and believes it is the combination of knowledge and skills that makes the team so effective.

She emphasises: “I think the big secret of our success, as Wolbito do Brasil, is our very multidisciplinary team. Day to day, we face some challenges, because when working with biological systems, there are things we cannot predict. There is an alignment of personal purposes, a sparkle in the eye of our staff, that not only want to work to improve health but also contribute to such a grand goal as the elimination or significant reduction of these mosquito-borne diseases.”

Brazil’s dengue burden and the need for sustainable vector control

Today, Brazil has the greatest number of dengue cases in the world, with one-tenth of the global dengue burden and more than 90 per cent of its population at risk of infection. One recent study noted that over the past 25 years, nearly 18 million Brazilians have been infected with the virus, with historic highs in 2024.

Brazil’s first releases of Wolbachia mosquitoes began in September 2014 in Rio de Janeiro. WMP's Wolbachia method now protects more than five million people in eight cities including Rio de Janeiro, Londrina, Foz do Iguaçu, Campo Grande, Joinville, Belo Horizonte, and Petrolina. It is also being currently implemented in Presidente Prudente, Uberlândia, and Natal.

However, one of the biggest success stories has been in Niterói, a city of roughly 525,000 people, which became the first city fully protected by WMP’s Wolbachia method. A recently published paper in Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease reports that Niterói saw an 89 per cent decrease in dengue cases.

The municipalities where Wolbito is currently releasing are chosen through a careful selection process by the Ministry of Health, and implementation has the strategic support of Fiocruz.

Fiocruz studies also show the economic benefits of such a cost-effective approach to disease control. It reports that for every R$1.00 invested, the government saves between R$43.45 and R$549.13 on medications, hospitalisations, and general treatments.

Why this work matters: the human impact of dengue, Zika and chikungunya

As you head through the biofactory, it’s notable all the staff are not only extremely friendly and knowledgeable but are clearly driven and motivated by helping improve the nation’s health. Mathias Gonçlaves, who is WMP’s Executive Director of Manufacturing, recently joined the organisation in May after more than 20 years in the manufacturing business at a host of different global companies. He focuses on the quality, safety and delivery of mosquito production, as well as scaling operations.

“It’s a little bit different, this is the first time I’ve worked with live organisms in manufacturing,” laughs Mathias. “But it’s really interesting to understand the different behaviours of the mosquitoes.

“The most incredible thing about the work here at Wolbito and WMP, is the proposition, no?! It is such a great proposal. I’m Brazilian, and living in this country, we know how difficult and how critical dengue is, along with Zika and chikungunya, for our population.

“These diseases are very familiar and impact many. I’ve had friends who have died from dengue. I really want to stand here in ten years time and be able to say there is much less dengue and threat from mosquito-borne diseases.”

Felipe Rocha, a production analyst, agrees wholeheartedly with Mathias’s comments. He’s witnessed dengue’s impacts first-hand in his family. “My father has had dengue and was very debilitated,” he says. “And especially my grandfather too, already in his 70s, he had a very hard time. He was hospitalised for over a week before recovering, and that was very difficult to witness.”

Felipe has been part of the country’s national efforts against diseases like dengue since joining WMP Brasil in Rio de Janeiro, at the end of 2016. He remembers starting just as the programme was finishing the pilot projects in Tubiacanga and Jurujuba, in Niterói, and notes there has been a huge increase in public awareness across the country of the programme.

“It’s really nice to see how the population has become so engaged as we’ve expanded,” says Felipe. “It’s a source of great pride both for me and my family, who have followed me in this journey as well. And for them to watch the news that this method is reaching many places throughout Brazil.”

As releases continue apace in numerous Brazilian cities, this huge facility and all the dedicated and passionate staff working at Wolbito do Brasil, will continue to bring hope to the future health of the country. As Antonio chuckles, he adds: “It’s not something I’ve ever imagined doing, rearing mosquitoes. But I’m so glad to be part of it, fighting these horrible viruses and bringing health to many places in Brazil.”

When dengue struck the city of Joinville in southern Brazil, it hit hard - overwhelming communities and leaving little relief in sight. Now, early results from Wolbito do Brasil's Wolbachia mosquito releases are offering renewed hope. For local public health leader Tamila Kleine, the project is deeply personal, shaped by her own experience of dengue and her commitment to protecting the city she calls home.

A city searching for solutions after a dengue epidemic

When the first phase of Wolbachia (known as Wolbito in Brazil) mosquito releases started in early 2024, Joinville was still reeling from a dengue epidemic which had impacted many parts of the city.

Tamila managed the first phases of releases for WMP Brasil and reflected on how badly the community had suffered from mosquito-borne diseases when the project was first introduced to the city.

“When the Wolbachia method arrived in the municipality of Joinville, the region was going through a huge impact related to dengue,” notes Tamila. “We were coming from a dengue epidemic, with many cases and a high number of deaths. So, the arrival of the method also brought some hope after the implementation of the first phase.”

Promising early results from Wolbachia releases

Protecting close to 360,000 people and covering 17 neighbourhoods, the first phase of releases in Joinville have shown promising early results.

“In Joinville, the Wolbachia method has always had very good acceptance,” says Tamila, who is now the regional coordinator of implementation at Wolbito do Brasil, responsible for the south and southeast regions.

“The first phase had a very positive reception from the population, which has already seen some results from phase one and is eagerly waiting for the releases. Compared to the pre and post-Wolbachia periods, we had a huge reduction in cases, around 90 per cent reduction of dengue cases.

“However, it is still very recent. We cannot prove that it is solely because of Wolbachia, but it’s certainly part of this positive result, along with all the other services and activities carried out by the city’s Environmental Surveillance.”

Scaling up protection across Joinville and beyond

This second phase, led by Wolbito do Brasil, will reach almost 75 per cent of the city’s population, covering a further 15 neighbourhoods and 150,000 people.

The small biofactory in Joinville will also act as a regional hub for other neighbouring municipalities, including releases in Blumenau and Balneário Camboriú.

Tamila also explains that the team is almost three times smaller than during the first phase, thanks to changes in the biofactory production methods, while still maintaining the same delivery and quality.

“In the first phase, the choice of neighbourhoods was made by the Ministry of Health together with the municipality, spread across the city,” says Tamila. “Now, in this second phase, we are covering neighbourhoods that had not yet been included, but not in a particularly concentrated area north or south of the region. We are aiming to cover most of the municipality.”

Looking ahead: expanding protection across Brazil

Tamila is very positive about the future ambitions of the project.

“With the arrival of Wolbito do Brasil and the possibility of bringing Wolbitos to the entire Brazilian population, I can only see salvation, reassurance, and that we can truly serve the whole country.

“I’m very happy with everything we managed to achieve last year here in Joinville. Working with the Wolbachia method, having this opportunity. It was something really rewarding for me.”

Earlier this year, Wolbito do Brasil, the world’s largest biofactory breeding Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with Wolbachia, began production. It marked a major new milestone in Brazil’s fight against mosquito-borne diseases, helping dramatically expand access across the country to Wolbachia mosquitoes, a nature-based disease control method.

One scientist who has been pivotal to the success of this programme is Luciano Moreira, who not only co-discovered Wolbachia’s ability to significantly reduce disease transmission in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, but also first introduced the project to Fiocruz in 2012.

The CEO of Wolbito do Brasil, who this week was announced as one of Nature’s 10 people “who mattered in science in 2025,” speaks about the opportunities and challenges of fighting mosquito-borne diseases in the country with the highest dengue burden in the world. This interview is edited for clarity below.

Can you introduce yourself and your role?

I’m Luciano Moreira, the CEO of Wolbito do Brasil, and I used to be a public health researcher for Fiocruz. I’m dedicated to continuing the work we’ve been doing with WMP Brasil and Fiocruz, helping wider expansion in Brazil under the Ministry of Health.

Historically in Brazil, WMP has had a partnership with Fiocruz, the public health institute linked to the Ministry of Health. Then in 2023, there was the idea that WMP could work with IBMP, a spin-off company of Fiocruz, to invest and build the largest facility for mosquitoes with Wolbachia (Wolbitos) in the world, which this year opened as Wolbito do Brasil.

Now, we have the capacity to produce 100 million Wolbito eggs per week. It means that we’ll be able to protect seven million people per semester, so 14 million per year. We’ll train local municipality teams to implement and do all the deployment in their regions. If we maintain this production of 100 million eggs per week, we’ll be able to protect 140 million people in the next decade. That’s a very challenging and a big number for us to work with.

Has the community response changed over time with wider distribution in more cities?

We’ve never had a negative impact in terms of the community. We always follow the PAM model in interacting with different sectors of the community, whether that’s the educational side, health workers, community and social leaders — and also because of Fiocruz’s brand, which is a very well known and respected institution in the country, more than 125 years old now — it really gave us the support needed to be trusted as a robust programme and project in Brazil. And that made a big difference.

And not only that, but because we followed all the steps. It’s not that we arrive in a city and start releasing mosquitoes, we always listen and talk to people first to check if communities have high acceptance of the method before releasing mosquitoes.

Can you talk us through the latest evidence and impact data to come out of Brazil?

Niterói was an example of where we did three separate expansions in the city, the first to be fully covered with Wolbachia, roughly more than 500,000 people. And then later on, we’ve also got Campo Grande in the west and Petrolina in the northeast where the decision was made to cover the whole city.

We had a paper in 2021 from Niterói, where results were around a 70 per cent reduction in areas where we released Wolbachia, and then in recent months we’ve just released another paper showing stable Wolbachia establishment in the city and an 89 per cent reduction in dengue cases, which is really important evidence.

We've released new evidence from Campo Grande this week which shows the positive impact on the city. I'm sure in the coming years, we'll see good results from the other cities we are currently deploying in. Joinville recently announced a huge reduction in the number of cases compared to pre-deployment.

Another thing that is happening in Brazil is in Belo Horizonte where we completed a randomised controlled trial. It’s a bit different to what we have done in Indonesia. The city had 58 clusters and the clusters were designed around public schools, so the idea was to follow children of around six to eleven years-old over four years, because they are more likely to have not had contact with dengue before. The lab tests will show that where Wolbachia was established - in half of these clusters in the city - we expect to have less disease transmission in these children. The analysis should be finished by early next year.

How does the dengue burden in Brazil impact the health system and have wider socio-economic challenges?

Dengue has been around in Brazil for four decades already and is typically seasonal. We know there are four different serotypes and depending on the circulation of each serotype, it can get really bad as people will be naive to the virus. With global warming, we are seeing the distribution of mosquitoes in the country shifting, going to every single city, especially in the southern part of the country, where we are based in Curitiba.

Curitiba, for example, has never had this problem in the past, because it is a high and cooler city. Last year was the biggest dengue epidemic here. With mosquitoes establishing in different cities and the disease circulating, that’s all that’s needed for all the epidemiological aspects of the disease and the situation in Brazil to continue worsening. I saw last year (the worst year on record for dengue in Brazil) in the city of Belo Horizonte, I would go to the supermarket and there were barely any employees because everybody was off sick at home.

I’ve had family members impacted, my sister, brother-in-law, and it was very bad. My daughter too had dengue and was really ill in bed for two weeks. Dengue is a disease that affects everyone, rich or poor, it has a high impact on people’s lives and they have to stop working. It is becoming more of a problem for the country, and it’s very expensive for the municipality to put people in hospitals, so the idea that we can reduce the burden of disease with Wolbachia is a good solution, alongside other tools.

Could you talk through Wolbito do Brasil’s plans to expand across Brazil?

Right now we have two clusters, with releases in six cities. One is in the south here and is a continuation of Joinville in Santa Catarina and two other cities in the same state (Balneário Camboriú and Blumenau), and another one is Brasília, the capital of Brazil, and two other cities - Valparaíso de Goiás and Luziânia in Goiás. We are currently looking at another five to seven clusters and next year, the idea is we will have production capacity to protect another 14 million people. The demand continues to grow. Wolbachia is part of the public health initiative now and the Ministry of Health is really pushing for us to produce more and more to protect more people in the coming years.

I’m really proud of myself and the team because we see every single face here at Wolbito ready to contribute and really want to do their part to go and protect as many people as possible - that’s the mission - people see the importance of the work on a daily basis

For Noel Maciel Junior, dengue fever isn't just a public health statistic - it's personal. The business manager has watched friends lose their lives to the disease whilst others struggled to find hospital beds during outbreaks. As he manages his artisan coffee house, Torrefação Joinville - Cafés Nobres, in the heart of the city, Noel has witnessed first-hand how mosquito-borne diseases have devastated his community. But now, thanks to our Wolbachia method, there's renewed hope in "The City of Flowers".

"Dengue here in Joinville has had a very strong effect on people," says business manager Noel Maciel Junior. "I have friends who ended up losing their lives because they contracted the virus, and others who got really sick and had trouble finding a hospital bed to be admitted to. We've had people very close to us suffer real badly."

Noel manages the artisan coffee house in Vila Prinz, Torrefação Joinville - Cafés Nobres, right at the heart of the city often called "The City of Flowers", due to its array of beautiful gardens and parks, as well as its stunning location close to mountains and lush green valleys. Joinville, a city of roughly 600,000 people in southern Brazil's Santa Catarina state, has in recent years witnessed a number of devastating mosquito-borne outbreaks.

Noel says he learned about the project through watching the news, along with the strong support by the city mayor. He's seen first-hand how Joinville has been impacted by diseases like dengue.

"Dengue has effectively caused a lot of damage to the local population," he says. "Because it's a disease that leaves people very debilitated. Many workplaces had staff shortages as a result. We've had this in our business, and the local health system simply couldn't handle the demand of people who needed medical care. It has meant great suffering for the city."

Zero deaths and dramatically fewer cases

Cases have so far this year severely dropped, as have dengue-related deaths, which between 2023 and 2024 were 86. There have currently been none so far this year.

Noel was in the right place at the right time to witness releases in the flesh this week.

"Yesterday I had the opportunity to personally see the work of people who carry out the dissemination of Wolbachia mosquitoes, because the car in front of me in the city centre traffic was opening their window, distributing mosquitoes. The stickers on the vehicle confirmed it was the (Wolbito do Brasil) releasers at work."

Noel recalls the words of the mayor at the time the releases were first being introduced to the city. He says Joinville was viewed as a test case to see if this would really work in southern Brazil.

Hope for Brazil's future

The business manager, grinding coffee beans in his very hip surroundings, believes "the experiment" has so far worked very well. "My future expectation is that this spreads throughout Brazil, because we have regions that desperately need it and have much more serious problems," he adds. "So my hope is that this project works very well here in Joinville and that soon it reduces the entire incidence of dengue in the national population."

In southern Brazil's Joinville, health agents battle mosquito-borne diseases with an innovative approach. The city's second phase of Wolbachia mosquito releases now protects nearly 75 per cent of residents, following first-phase results that showed a 90 per cent reduction in dengue cases. From early morning releases to biofactory operations, the programme brings hope to communities that have suffered devastating outbreaks.

Even by Joinville standards, the frenetic rain is biblical today. Often nicknamed "rainville" by locals, due to being one of the wettest cities in Brazil, verdant Joinville is surrounded by beautiful mountains and lush green valleys.

Despite what the elements may have in store for us, nothing has dampened the mood in a small city biofactory brimming with energy in the early hours. Fuelled by dangerously strong black coffee and armed with crates of mosquito jars, a handful of health agents fill their vehicles ready for releases, as sunrise draws near. In high spirits, the team set off for their two rounds of Wolbachia (known as Wolbito in Brazil) mosquito releases in different parts of Joinville.

Wolbachia expands to Balneário Camboriú and Blumenau

Just days earlier, the bustling Reginaldo de Souza Kock Auditorium was filled with delegates, government representatives, scientists, media and film cameras, for the announcement of the second phase of mosquito releases in the city, alongside further releases in neighbouring Balneário Camboriú and Blumenau.

"The arrival of our Wolbachia method is a fundamental reinforcement in protecting our population," emphasises Aline Leal, Health Secretary of Balneário Camboriú. "This is a safe strategy for people, animals, and the environment, which complements the prevention measures already adopted. We are confident in the results."

Priscila Ferraz, Vice President of Production and Innovation in Health at Fiocruz, adds: "The continued implementation of our Wolbachia method in Santa Catarina represents a benefit for the entire population of the three municipalities, which have been experiencing high dengue transmission in recent years."

Four days a week, Lúcia rises early and prepares for the releases in the city. She started as an endemic agent in 2023, shortly after suffering from dengue, and wanted to learn more about the country's efforts to reduce mosquito-borne diseases.

"I had dengue just a few weeks before starting to work in environmental surveillance," she says. "It was very hard. A week with lots of pain, no appetite, and a high fever. So from that moment on, when I learned about the Wolbachia project, I decided that I would also fight against this disease."

Lúcia says many people are interested and come to talk with her during releases to ask questions and understand what she's doing, but admits the reception is largely positive.

"While I am releasing the mosquitoes, I feel happy, because to me it is as if I am saving lives — every mosquito that goes out is meant to improve the environment, to stop dengue, and other diseases like Zika and chikungunya."

After the first round of releases, a quick tactical stop for more rocket fuel coffee and to re-fill the cars at the biofactory is needed, before the second releases come to an end around 9.30am.

Tamila Kleine managed the first phase of releases in Joinville and is now regional coordinator of implementation at Wolbito do Brasil. She recalls how badly the community had suffered from mosquito-borne diseases when the project was first introduced to the city.

"When our Wolbachia method arrived in the municipality of Joinville, the region was going through a huge impact related to dengue," emphasises Tamila. "We were coming from a dengue epidemic, with many cases and a high number of deaths. So, the arrival of the method also brought some hope after the implementation of the first phase.

"In Joinville, our Wolbachia method has always had very good acceptance. The first phase had a very positive reception from the population, which has already seen some results from phase one and is eagerly waiting for the releases. Compared to the pre and post-Wolbachia periods, we had a huge reduction in cases, around 90 per cent reduction of dengue cases. However, it is still very recent. We cannot prove that it is solely because of Wolbachia, but it's certainly part of this positive result, along with all the other services and activities carried out by the city's Environmental Surveillance."

Prior to the project starting in Joinville, Tamila was already working on dengue research in the municipality and also focusing more broadly on zoonotic diseases. However, dengue soon became a little more personal.

"The danger of this disease and the fear that someone in my family could get it, someone from my group of friends, from my community. I'm from here. I think it's an even greater motivation to keep going. I'm very happy with everything we managed to achieve last year here in Joinville. Working with our Wolbachia method, having this opportunity. It was something really rewarding for me."

The team protecting Joinville from mosquito-borne diseases

Alvino Rodrigues agrees with Tamila's sentiment. As the regional coordinator in Joinville, he oversees a small team, ensuring production and field operations all run as expected. With a background in Chemistry, Alvino has worked in many multinational companies coordinating laboratory operations and data analysis. He emphasises the importance of community engagement in the preparation phase alongside rigid planning of release routes, the numbers of releasers / cars needed, and potentially adverse weather conditions.

"The diseases that we face with Aedes aegypti here in Brazil are big," he says. "So everyone knows or has had a relative who has suffered from dengue, chikungunya or Zika. The opportunity to work and solve this problem, to minimise the (disease) incidence and improve the health of the population as a whole is extremely motivating for me. It's really impacted me in a good way, and that's why I am proud to work in this way."

Alvino believes the impacts of the programme affect many parts of society, from people's livelihoods to the health system.

"Once we minimise the number of deaths or people taken ill, you reduce not only the emotional impact on families, but help take the pressure off the health system, so you can move efforts to other diseases or problems. The fewer people that are sick, the more people you have working and buying, so there's also a big positive impact on the economy.

"Once we have released Wolbitos in the communities, the number of deaths and people needing health services reduced dramatically. It's a bright future for sure and shows the true positive impact of science."

Five million Brazilians now protected by Wolbachia

Wolbito do Brasil, the world's largest biofactory breeding Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with Wolbachia, is also fully up and running in Curitiba, just two-hours drive from Joinville. The joint venture between the World Mosquito Program (WMP), Fiocruz, and the Institute of Molecular Biology of Paraná (IBMP), will see more than 100 million mosquito eggs per week, and help dramatically expand access across Brazil to Wolbachia mosquitoes.

Tamila is very positive about the future ambitions of the project. "With the arrival of Wolbito do Brasil and the possibility of bringing Wolbitos to the entire Brazilian population, I can only see salvation, reassurance, and that we can truly serve the whole country," she adds.

In Joinville, Brazil, endemic control agent Lúcia Jordan releases Wolbachia mosquitoes four days a week as part of an expanding effort to combat dengue. After surviving the disease herself, she now helps protect nearly 75 per cent of her city's 600,000 residents. Early results show dramatic impact, with dengue deaths dropping to zero following our Wolbachia method deployment.

“While I am releasing the mosquitoes, I feel happy,” says Lúcia Jordan. “Because to me it is as if I am saving lives — every mosquito that goes out is meant to improve the environment, to stop dengue, and other diseases like Zika and chikungunya.”

Four days a week, Lúcia rises early in the morning and heads to a small biofactory perched on a steep hill in the centre of Joinville, a city of roughly 600,000 people in southern Brazil’s Santa Catarina state, known for its manufacturing and industrial heritage.

Until recent years, Joinville hadn’t been too severely impacted by mosquito-borne diseases, but as climate change lengthens the mosquito season and accelerates the speed at which the world’s deadliest creature expands its geographical range, the city, along with others in the south of the country, has seen a number of devastating outbreaks in the past few years.

When the first phase of Wolbachia (known as Wolbito in Brazil) mosquito releases started in August 2024, Joinville was still reeling from a dengue epidemic which had impacted many parts of the city.

From Dengue Survivor to Disease Fighter

Lúcia knows what it’s like to suffer from dengue as she contracted the virus a year before the project began, and just days before starting a new role as an endemic control agent.

“I had dengue just before starting to work in environmental surveillance,” she says. “It was very hard. A week with lots of pain, chills, no appetite, headaches, and a high fever. It felt as if my head was swollen.

“So from that moment on, when I learned about the Wolbachia project, I decided that I would also fight against this disease.”

"There's a lot of curiosity in the streets when I'm releasing mosquitoes. Many people stop and ask why we're doing this, and very occasionally this is negative. But most of the time the reaction is positive, because many already know about the project and have information from the internet or events.

"With family and friends, I always try to explain clearly about the Wolbachia bacteria, that it is found in 50 per cent of insects. People need to understand why this is happening. And it's well accepted."

Protecting Nearly 75% of Joinville's Population with Our Wolbachia Method

The first phase of releases in Joinville last year covered 17 neighbourhoods protecting roughly 360,000 residents, and early results have shown great promise. This second phase, led by Wolbito do Brasil, will reach almost 75 per cent of the city’s population, covering a further 15 neighbourhoods and 150,000 people.

Lúcia emphasises the early results from the first phase offer hope for the city.

“In Joinville, the project has had a very big impact. From 2023 - 2024, we had 86 deaths from dengue,” she reflects. “So, it is very significant to know that today the city has no deaths. And it’s thanks to this project, as well as the population being more aware to take care of their yards and not leave standing water.”

Kiribati is intensifying its fight against mosquito-borne diseases like dengue by expanding the World Mosquito Program’s Wolbachia method. This community-supported public health initiative is especially vital as climate change and insecticide resistance escalate disease risks across the Pacific. The project aims to protect nearly 45,000 people in South Tarawa.

Mosquito-Borne Diseases on the Rise in the Pacific

In a sea of blue and white banners, balloons and posters, a group of young dancers from the Red Cross Youth Group take centre stage to perform a traditional dance. It is one of many moments that help create such a vibrant celebration marking the start of the World Mosquito Program’s (WMP) second phase of Wolbachia mosquito releases in South Tarawa, Kiribati’s capital, and home to more than half the country’s population.

The public launch event reflects Kiribati’s close-knit community spirit, with representatives from international agencies including the World Health Organisation and UNICEF, as well as local disability and women's advocacy groups, NGOs, and not forgetting President Taneti Maamau, all in attendance. Chatter fills the air as exuberant music gives way to live comedy, formal speeches, a cake-cutting, and an array of delicious local foods, as well as the opportunity to take a closer look at mosquitoes through a microscope.

“Dengue fever is the world’s most prevalent disease spread by mosquitoes,” says Dr Greg Devine, WMP’s Senior Director of Field Entomology. “Cases are increasing across the Western Pacific and South East Asia. All of these countries experienced significant dengue outbreaks in 2024 and 2025, and the general trend in cases globally is relentlessly upwards.

“These increases are fuelled by climate change, increasing globalisation and immunological naïveté, where human populations are being exposed to new dengue serotypes, alongside the limited impact of existing control measures.”

How Kiribati Is Using Wolbachia to Prevent Dengue

Funded and supported by the Australian government, WMP’s project was rolled out in high-risk communities across South Tarawa, including Betio and Bairiki, between June 2018 and June 2019. The first phase of the project saw almost 3,150 volunteers take part in a range of community engagement activities to raise awareness. This included helping release mosquitoes, hosting bug traps and promoting the project, which resulted in a 97% acceptance rate in the capital.

The second phase will build on this success and expand Wolbachia coverage to the remaining densely populated areas of South Tarawa over a 14-month period starting this summer, protecting almost 44,650 people.

Why Sustainable Mosquito Control Matters for Public Health

Long-term monitoring from phase one with the Kiribati Ministry of Health and Medical Services has shown extremely positive results. Devine says responses to dengue outbreaks largely involve the application of insecticides and the implementation of environmental “clean-up” campaigns, but he believes these have limited long-term impacts.

“Resistance to insecticides is increasingly documented in the Pacific, and this further reduces the impact of conventional vector control,” he notes. “The upward trend in dengue case numbers regionally will inevitably stress public health systems and impact family well-being (through both the health and economic costs of hospitalisation and the lost earnings of the sick).

“Sustainable ways to combat dengue, such as the Wolbachia method, are desperately needed. Vaccines are still years away from being universally affordable and applicable.”

As festivities at the launch event come to a close, there is a huge sense of optimism in South Tarawa that they may one day see a community free from mosquito-borne diseases.

In Dili, Timor-Leste's coastal capital, dengue fever has devastated families like Elsa Pinto's for years. But a groundbreaking collaboration between the World Mosquito Program and local partners is set to change this narrative. By introducing Wolbachia mosquitoes—a safe, natural solution—to the region, this initiative aims to protect 240,000 people from dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases, offering renewed hope to a community long plagued by preventable suffering.

The Human Cost of Dengue in Timor-Leste: Elsa's Story

Elsa Fernandes Pinto recalls the rollercoaster of emotions when her second child got dengue in 2015. There was the high fever, the loss of appetite, rashes, nosebleeds, and vomiting.

"Our family is a victim of dengue fever," Pinto says, perched outside her home in a leafy neighbourhood in Dili, Timor-Leste's coastal capital.

Since her first encounter with dengue, all three of her children have been impacted by the disease, with her youngest most recently hospitalised in 2021.

A Collaborative Approach: Four Organisations, One Mission

"Each year, we use vector control like fogging, educational promotion and awareness to the communities," says Mateus Pinto, Director of Dili Municipal Health Service. "But dengue cases are still registered annually."

Mateus is putting his faith in a new collaboration he believes will have a hugely beneficial impact on the capital.

It will see the World Mosquito Program (WMP), Timor-Leste Ministry of Health (MoH), Action on Poverty (AOP) and the Menzies School of Health Research join forces to address the threat of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases in the country.

The project, supported by the Australian government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) and the Macquarie Group Foundation, will see the release of Wolbachia mosquitoes – a safe, natural and effective method for preventing mosquito-borne diseases – in Dili.

Timor-Leste has some of the most significant marine resources in the world, yet remains one of the least visited countries in the world. The country, ringed by coral reefs and home to more than 20 languages and dialects, only gained full independence in 2002, after years of occupation and guerilla warfare, which are chronicled in Dili's Resistance Archive and Museum. In recent years, mosquito-borne diseases have plagued communities and Mateus says new measures are more than welcome.

Beyond Mosquitoes: Breaking the Cycle of Disease and Poverty

"Preventing diseases like dengue fever is essential to breaking the cycle of poverty, because without health, communities can't thrive," adds Howie. "The Wolbachia method offers Timor-Leste a safe and sustainable solution that protects everyone, especially those most affected by poverty."

Once there is strong community approval, WMP aims to start the Wolbachia mosquito releases in July 2025, which will cover the whole urban population of the capital, Dili city, roughly 20km² and around 240,000 people.

Deirdre Ballinger, First Secretary of Health, Australian Embassy in Timor-Leste, says as a long-term partner with the Ministry of Health, Australia is pleased to be supporting an "innovative and sustainable public health solution" which can significantly reduce mosquito-borne disease and deaths in the country.

"Self-sustaining public health solutions like this are unique," says Ballinger. "It will help save thousands of lives – many of whom are typically children."

"We are really happy to see that the Ministry of Health wants to implement a new method that we're sure will make a significant difference in the fight against dengue. We hope it will reduce dengue transmission in our country and most importantly reduce the mortality rate of those affected by the disease."

Dengue fever has long been a persistent threat across Southeast Asia, with Laos particularly affected by seasonal outbreaks that devastate communities. Building on successful initial releases, the World Mosquito Program is now entering the second phase of its work in Laos, expanding its innovative Wolbachia method across Vientiane. Through collaboration with the Lao PDR Ministry of Health and Save the Children International, this sustainable approach aims to protect over 1.2 million people from mosquito-borne diseases including dengue, Zika, and chikungunya.

Community Heroes: Local Volunteers Fighting Dengue in Vientiane

For almost a year and a half, Phoutmaly Thammavongsa, a local sweet seller and resident of Vientiane, volunteered to help combat mosquito-borne diseases across the capital city of Laos. From raising awareness about how to spot mosquito breeding grounds, to advocating for community members to host a mosquito release container (MCR) in their home, every day was different.

Laos' Dengue Crisis: Over 20,000 Cases and Counting

A year-round threat in the country, dengue cases reached more than 20,000 last year, with 11 dengue-related deaths. However, both Ms Keo and Thammavongsa have a renewed sense of optimism following the successful deployment of Wolbachia mosquitoes in the Chanthabouly and Xaysettha districts of the capital. The pilot project, which saw the World Mosquito Program (WMP), Lao PDR Ministry of Health (MoH) and Save the Children International (SCI) join forces, helped protect 32 villages with a combined population of roughly 86,000 people

Following its conclusion in August 2023, many other residents have been interested in adopting WMP’s Wolbachia method – a safe, natural and one-time sustainable solution for preventing mosquito-borne diseases – in the country’s dengue hotspots.

“Dengue remains a major public health concern in Laos, particularly during the dry and rainy seasons when mosquito populations surge,” says H.E. Aphone Visathep, Vice Minister of Health.

“The disease places a significant strain on the health system, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, especially children. With limited health resources, dengue continues to pose a serious challenge, requiring sustained prevention efforts, active surveillance, and collaboration from all stakeholders.”

WMP's Wolbachia Method: A Sustainable Solution for Mosquito-Borne Diseases

Later this year, the project will expand to cover approximately 60 km2 in all nine districts of the capital, Vientiane, and 24 km² in Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, Savannakhet and Champasack provinces. The new release sites will see more than 1.2 million people protected by WMP’s Wolbachia method.

“Through our continued partnership with The Government of Laos and Save the Children, the expansion of Wolbachia within Vientiane represents a significant opportunity to reduce the burden of dengue,” says Breeanna McLean, WMP’s project manager in Laos. “We are excited to be working with our partners and communities for further deployments in Laos.”

The Vice Minister added: “On behalf of the Ministry of Health, we are grateful for the support from the Australian Government and look forward to supporting the successful implementation of the second phase of this project using the Wolbachia method.”

Empowering Youth: Students Join the Fight Against Dengue

The health ministry is encouraging people to keep complying with dengue prevention measures, as well as advising provincial health authorities to ensure school environments are clean.

At Vientiane High School, both 15-year-old Voipalin and 12-year-old Souphaxay, believe education and awareness of mosquito-borne diseases from a young age are so important.

Voipalin recalls feeling tired with no appetite when she was suffering from dengue. “I’ve had dengue twice now,” she says. “My brother also caught the disease. It’s very serious. I missed my friends, school and had to stay in bed for weeks — I was sick for nearly four months.”

Souphaxay’s best friend was ill and in hospital with dengue for a week earlier this year. He describes how she was admitted to hospital and missed many classes.

“Everybody can get dengue and I’m very scared of getting it now too,” says Souphaxay. “I want every person to be aware of it and protect themselves from getting dengue. I hope in the future less people get the disease and it will no longer be in our country.”

Community Impact: How Wolbachia Brings Hope to Families

Ms Keo recalls first hearing about the project on the radio and listening with great curiosity. After the village committee explained WMP’s Wolbachia method and provided information, her confidence grew.

“When I first heard about the method, it sounded unreal to me,” she recalls. “However, I feel more confident since it's safe and prevents the spread of dengue, which affects all our lives.

“ I truly have a high hope that this will free my family as well as Lao people from dengue in the future.”