Insects: The Wolbachia Story
Jessamyn Perlmutter and Robert Unckless
Sir: I saw a program on the TV where scientists are growing and releasing millions of mosquitoes outside. Why would they do that? A bacterium was mentioned
Often referred to as "the world’s greatest pandemic,” Wolbachia are among the most widespread microbial symbionts on Earth. They are present in roughly half of all arthropod species and in many nematodes. These bacteria primarily infect the reproductive organs of their hosts and are passed vertically from mother to offspring. Wolbachia employ remarkable strategies to manipulate host reproduction in order to spread through populations, and some strains can even block the transmission of human viral diseases such as Zika and dengue. For this reason, large-scale programs are releasing Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes to replace wild populations lacking the bacteria, thereby reducing viral transmission to humans. Moreover, certain pathogenic nematodes depend on Wolbachia for survival, prompting efforts to develop drugs that target the bacteria and, in turn, eliminate the nematodes responsible for debilitating human diseases. Excitingly, emerging research suggests new applications in agriculture, where Wolbachia may protect crops from insect-borne viruses. Altogether, Wolbachia-based strategies for arthropod and nematode control hold significant promise and contribute directly to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).