Wolbachia introgression in Rio de Janeiro remains at sub-optimal levels 30 months after its crash: challenges in the sustainability of wMel interventions for dengue control
Karine Pedreira Padilha, Gabriela A. Garcia, Rayane Teles-de-Freitas, Franck Jeannot Gnonhoue, Mariana Rocha David, Jéssica Corrêa-Antônio, Felipe de Oliveira, Luiz Paulo Brito, Luciana dos Santos Dias, Ademir Jesus Martins, Vincent Corbel, José Bento Pereira Lima, Gabriel Luz Wallau, Ary A. Hoffmann, Oswaldo Gonçalves Cruz, , Rafael Maciel‐de‐Freitas
This study assesses the long-term persistence of Wolbachia wMel in Rio de Janeiro 30 months after a population crash, finding suboptimal introgression levels and highlighting challenges in sustaining Wolbachia-based dengue control.
bioRxiv · Jul 29, 2025 · PreprintEcology