Evaluating Male Wolbachia-Infected Mosquito Releases to Control Large Dengue Clusters in Singapore A Randomized Controlled Study

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the use of Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes combined with sterile insect technique IIT-SIT to reduce active dengue transmission in Singapore. This randomized controlled trial aims to determine if releasing these modified mosquitoes can limit the growth of dengue clusters, which are defined by two or more dengue cases occurring close in time and location. The study will provide evidence on whether IIT-SIT can be an effective additional tool for outbreak management in urban areas facing increasing dengue risks due to climate and urban changes. The trial involves randomly assigning dengue clusters in high-rise public housing estates to either receive the IIT-SIT intervention or serve as controls without mosquito releases. Clusters in the intervention group will have male Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes released continuously until no new dengue cases are linked to the cluster, while both groups will also receive the usual vector control measures from the National Environment Agency. This design closely mimics real-time outbreak management using IIT-SIT to assess its feasibility and challenges before wider use. Participants will be monitored for up to three years to assess outcomes such as the time until dengue cluster extinction and the final number of dengue cases in each cluster. Additional measurements include mosquito prevalence and dengue transmission risk. The study will track these indicators through laboratory-confirmed dengue cases and mosquito surveillance, providing detailed data on the interventions impact on dengue spread and contributing to improved outbreak control strategies.

Impact of IIT-SIT on Dengue Clusters