Effectiveness of the sterile insect technique in controlling Aedes albopictus as part of an integrated control measure: evidence from a first small-scale field trial in Switzerland
Abstract Background The invasive Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) poses growing health risks across Europe. In Switzerland, a preliminary field trial was conducted to assess the feasibility of integrating the sterile insect technique (SIT) into existing integrated vector management (IVM), whi...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | Infectious Diseases of Poverty |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-025-01360-2 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849225819991310336 |
|---|---|
| author | Diego Parrondo Monton Damiana Ravasi Valentina Campana Francesco Pace Arianna Puggioli Matteo Tanadini Eleonora Flacio |
| author_facet | Diego Parrondo Monton Damiana Ravasi Valentina Campana Francesco Pace Arianna Puggioli Matteo Tanadini Eleonora Flacio |
| author_sort | Diego Parrondo Monton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The invasive Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) poses growing health risks across Europe. In Switzerland, a preliminary field trial was conducted to assess the feasibility of integrating the sterile insect technique (SIT) into existing integrated vector management (IVM), which includes breeding site removal and application of biological larvicides. SIT involves repeated releases of irradiated sterile males, which mate with wild females, producing non-viable eggs and leading to population decline. Methods Following a preliminary release test in 2022, a small-scale SIT trial took place in 2023 in Morcote, Switzerland. Approximately 150,000 sterile males were released weekly over a 45-hectare area throughout the entire mosquito activity season, from May to September. This SIT area also received routine IVM. Population dynamics were compared with a control area where only IVM was applied. Monitoring included egg counts, hatch rates, and adult female densities. Generalized additive mixed-effects models (GAMM) and generalized additive models (GAM) accounted for spatial, temporal, and random effects. Model selection used AIC, BIC, and Chi-square tests (significance at 5%). Results The SIT-treated area showed a significant mosquito population reduction. Egg counts dropped by 57% (GAMM regression coefficient: − 0.8513, P < 0.001), with temporal patterns differing between SIT-treated and control areas (P < 0.001). Egg hatch rates were also lower in the SIT area, with odds of hatching reduced by 1.24 log-odds units (P < 0.001). Adult female densities declined by 66% (regression coefficient: − 1.0818, P < 0.001). Spatial GAMs revealed heterogeneous effects: up to 90% egg reduction in the western release area, while the eastern edge, bordering untreated zones, showed up to 300% higher egg counts. Similar spatial trends were observed for hatch rates and adult females (P < 0.01). These findings highlight both the overall effectiveness of SIT and the influence of mosquito immigration on spatial patterns. Conclusions This trial demonstrated the potential of SIT as a complementary tool in Swiss vector control. Public interest and acceptance were high. To improve cost-effectiveness, further optimization of male production, sterilization, transport, and release processes is needed. Continued implementation over multiple seasons is recommended to enhance long-term effectiveness. Graphical Abstract |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-18bb9a47cc63467486a05aeb013c7376 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2049-9957 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Infectious Diseases of Poverty |
| spelling | doaj-art-18bb9a47cc63467486a05aeb013c73762025-08-24T11:57:22ZengBMCInfectious Diseases of Poverty2049-99572025-08-0114111210.1186/s40249-025-01360-2Effectiveness of the sterile insect technique in controlling Aedes albopictus as part of an integrated control measure: evidence from a first small-scale field trial in SwitzerlandDiego Parrondo Monton0Damiana Ravasi1Valentina Campana2Francesco Pace3Arianna Puggioli4Matteo Tanadini5Eleonora Flacio6Institute of Microbiology, Department for Environment Constructions and Design, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI)Institute of Microbiology, Department for Environment Constructions and Design, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI)Institute of Microbiology, Department for Environment Constructions and Design, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI)Institute of Microbiology, Department for Environment Constructions and Design, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI)Centro Agricoltura Ambiente “G. Nicoli”Zurich Data Scientists GmbHInstitute of Microbiology, Department for Environment Constructions and Design, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI)Abstract Background The invasive Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) poses growing health risks across Europe. In Switzerland, a preliminary field trial was conducted to assess the feasibility of integrating the sterile insect technique (SIT) into existing integrated vector management (IVM), which includes breeding site removal and application of biological larvicides. SIT involves repeated releases of irradiated sterile males, which mate with wild females, producing non-viable eggs and leading to population decline. Methods Following a preliminary release test in 2022, a small-scale SIT trial took place in 2023 in Morcote, Switzerland. Approximately 150,000 sterile males were released weekly over a 45-hectare area throughout the entire mosquito activity season, from May to September. This SIT area also received routine IVM. Population dynamics were compared with a control area where only IVM was applied. Monitoring included egg counts, hatch rates, and adult female densities. Generalized additive mixed-effects models (GAMM) and generalized additive models (GAM) accounted for spatial, temporal, and random effects. Model selection used AIC, BIC, and Chi-square tests (significance at 5%). Results The SIT-treated area showed a significant mosquito population reduction. Egg counts dropped by 57% (GAMM regression coefficient: − 0.8513, P < 0.001), with temporal patterns differing between SIT-treated and control areas (P < 0.001). Egg hatch rates were also lower in the SIT area, with odds of hatching reduced by 1.24 log-odds units (P < 0.001). Adult female densities declined by 66% (regression coefficient: − 1.0818, P < 0.001). Spatial GAMs revealed heterogeneous effects: up to 90% egg reduction in the western release area, while the eastern edge, bordering untreated zones, showed up to 300% higher egg counts. Similar spatial trends were observed for hatch rates and adult females (P < 0.01). These findings highlight both the overall effectiveness of SIT and the influence of mosquito immigration on spatial patterns. Conclusions This trial demonstrated the potential of SIT as a complementary tool in Swiss vector control. Public interest and acceptance were high. To improve cost-effectiveness, further optimization of male production, sterilization, transport, and release processes is needed. Continued implementation over multiple seasons is recommended to enhance long-term effectiveness. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-025-01360-2Integrated vector managementMosquito controlSterile insect techniqueAedes albopictusUrban environmentVector-borne diseases |
| spellingShingle | Diego Parrondo Monton Damiana Ravasi Valentina Campana Francesco Pace Arianna Puggioli Matteo Tanadini Eleonora Flacio Effectiveness of the sterile insect technique in controlling Aedes albopictus as part of an integrated control measure: evidence from a first small-scale field trial in Switzerland Infectious Diseases of Poverty Integrated vector management Mosquito control Sterile insect technique Aedes albopictus Urban environment Vector-borne diseases |
| title | Effectiveness of the sterile insect technique in controlling Aedes albopictus as part of an integrated control measure: evidence from a first small-scale field trial in Switzerland |
| title_full | Effectiveness of the sterile insect technique in controlling Aedes albopictus as part of an integrated control measure: evidence from a first small-scale field trial in Switzerland |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness of the sterile insect technique in controlling Aedes albopictus as part of an integrated control measure: evidence from a first small-scale field trial in Switzerland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness of the sterile insect technique in controlling Aedes albopictus as part of an integrated control measure: evidence from a first small-scale field trial in Switzerland |
| title_short | Effectiveness of the sterile insect technique in controlling Aedes albopictus as part of an integrated control measure: evidence from a first small-scale field trial in Switzerland |
| title_sort | effectiveness of the sterile insect technique in controlling aedes albopictus as part of an integrated control measure evidence from a first small scale field trial in switzerland |
| topic | Integrated vector management Mosquito control Sterile insect technique Aedes albopictus Urban environment Vector-borne diseases |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-025-01360-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT diegoparrondomonton effectivenessofthesterileinsecttechniqueincontrollingaedesalbopictusaspartofanintegratedcontrolmeasureevidencefromafirstsmallscalefieldtrialinswitzerland AT damianaravasi effectivenessofthesterileinsecttechniqueincontrollingaedesalbopictusaspartofanintegratedcontrolmeasureevidencefromafirstsmallscalefieldtrialinswitzerland AT valentinacampana effectivenessofthesterileinsecttechniqueincontrollingaedesalbopictusaspartofanintegratedcontrolmeasureevidencefromafirstsmallscalefieldtrialinswitzerland AT francescopace effectivenessofthesterileinsecttechniqueincontrollingaedesalbopictusaspartofanintegratedcontrolmeasureevidencefromafirstsmallscalefieldtrialinswitzerland AT ariannapuggioli effectivenessofthesterileinsecttechniqueincontrollingaedesalbopictusaspartofanintegratedcontrolmeasureevidencefromafirstsmallscalefieldtrialinswitzerland AT matteotanadini effectivenessofthesterileinsecttechniqueincontrollingaedesalbopictusaspartofanintegratedcontrolmeasureevidencefromafirstsmallscalefieldtrialinswitzerland AT eleonoraflacio effectivenessofthesterileinsecttechniqueincontrollingaedesalbopictusaspartofanintegratedcontrolmeasureevidencefromafirstsmallscalefieldtrialinswitzerland |