Detection of wolbachia in aedes aegypti collected from the provinces of Laguna and Cavite

• Main Authors: Sambile, Angelo F., Pablo, Karl Mc Haile U., Pariñas, Jannika Mae C., Ponce, Jenika Mari B.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2024
• Subjects: Aedes aegypti > Philippines > Laguna; Aedes aegypti > Philippines > Cavite; Wolbachia > Philippines > Laguna; Wolbachia > > Philippines > Cavite; Insect pests—Control; Biology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etdb_bio/70
• Institution: De La Salle University

Aedes aegypti poses a significant public health threat as a vector for various diseases, including dengue fever, yellow fever, and Zika virus, making the exploration of alternative vector control measures imperative, particularly in countries like the Philippines. One such measure involves the use of Wolbachia, a gram-negative endosymbiont known for inducing sperm-egg incompatibility and altering the genetics of subsequent generations. The efficacy of Wolbachia in controlling arbovirus transmission, notably dengue, has been advocated, aiming to reduce mosquito populations and thereby limit virus transmission. This study aims to detect Wolbachia in Aedes aegypti specimens collected from the provinces of Laguna and Cavite. Previous reports have documented Wolbachia presence in Aedes aegypti, the primary dengue vector in the Philippines. The study screened 70 mosquito samples from Biñan Laguna, Sta. Rosa Laguna, and Cavite for Wolbachia presence. All mosquitoes were field-collected and laboratory-reared in the Biological Control Research Unit. The presence of Wolbachia was confirmed using conventional PCR with wsp as the marker under optimized conditions. Notably, Wolbachia prevalence was low, with only one mosquito (1.4% of 70 samples) exhibiting positive wsp marker amplification. Recommendations for future research include employing more sensitive methods such as qPCR to enhance detection accuracy. The faint band observed in the presumptive result in AGE underscores the necessity for confirmatory techniques such as genetic sequencing. Future researchers should support subsequent investigations, from detection to sequencing, as they could significantly advance the understanding of Wolbachia-based biological control in the country.