Modified technique of Wolbachia removal from Malaysian Aedes albopictus

• Published in: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine
• Main Authors: Sylvia Joanne, Indra Vythilingam, Nava Yugavathy, Jonathan Inbaraj Doss
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2014
• Subjects: Wolbachia; tetracycline; Aedes albopictus; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.12980/APJTB.4.2014APJTB-2014-0020; https://doaj.org/article/e344affb53854342a8407b425a9b348c

Objective: To develop an artificial and modified Wolbachia removal technique using tetracycline from naturally Wolbachia infected Aedes albopictus (Ae. albopictus) so as to be able to produce generations of Wolbachia free offsprings. Methods: In this study, seven different tetracycline treatment methods were conducted to obtain the best removal method. Four methods focused on larvae tetracycline treatment, one method on both larvae and adult tetracycline treatment and the last two methods on adult mosquito sucrose treatment. Results: All larval tetracycline treatments resulted in either high larvae mortality, sterile F0 adult mosquitoes or unsuccessful Wolbachia removal. Treatment of both larvae and adults resulted in reduced larvae mortality, successful Wolbachia removal but slow mosquito fecundity. As for the adult treatment, 1.0 mg/mL as previously published was not able to completely remove Wolbachia in F1 generation whereas 1.25 mg/mL successfully removed Wolbachia from F1 and F2 mosquitoes in 2 weeks. Conclusions: This method is different from the previously published methods as it provides an improved Wolbachia removal technique from Ae. albopictus with high egg hatchability, low larvae mortality, increased fecundity and better Wolbachia removal rate.