Vector Control Advisory Group

Independent evaluation of the public health value of innovative new tools, technologies and approaches for vector control is needed to enable WHO to provide evidence-based advice to Member States on whether their deployment is justified. This is essential to ensure that scarce resources available for disease control are used to maximum impact. In order to assist WHO in developing public health policy on new tools, the Vector Control Advisory Group (VCAG) assesses the public health value of new interventions and provides guidance on developing the evidence base required to inform such assessments.

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Sterilization agents

How the intervention works: An example of an intervention being evaluated under this intervention class is sterile insect technique combined with microbial infection using Wolbachia bacteria. The aim of this approach is to reduce populations of Aedes mosquitoes to levels below the threshold for transmission of Aedes-borne diseases. The approach is based on mass rearing of mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia, sex separation (so that only males, which do not carry disease, are released) and sterilization with ionizing irradiation during the pupal stage. The combination of cytoplasmic sterility conferred by the bacteria and irradiation ensures fully induced sterility in females in case they are accidently released. Over time, systematic, continuous release of sterile males infected with Wolbachia is designed to suppress the population of Aedes mosquitoes and thus reduce the prevalence of Aedes-borne diseases in humans.

Disease(s) that may be reduced in prevalence or prevented: Aedes-borne arboviral diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus disease

Population(s) intended to be protected: Populations at risk of Aedes-borne diseases.

Status of review: VCAG reviewed an epidemiological study protocol in February 2019.

Last update: 18 June 2020