Ministry of Health opens Wolbachia mosquito biofactory in Minas Gerais

The Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), the State Government of Minas Gerais, and the City Government of Belo Horizonte, inaugurated the Wolbachia Biofactory on Monday (29). The 4,000 m² facility will have laboratories for producing Aedes aegypti mosquitoes using the Wolbachia Method to fight against dengue and other arboviruses.

The expansion of cities using the Wolbachia Method and the construction of new factories, such as the one in Belo Horizonte, are of great importance if we are to face future epidemics and protect the Brazilian population even more. This technology is proof that science must be increasingly encouraged and valued"
Ethel Maciel, Secretary for Health and Environmental Surveillance at the Ministry of Health

The Biofactory is managed by Fiocruz, in partnership with the World Mosquito Program (WMP), holder of the technological patent. Operation is scheduled to begin in 2025. The facility is equipped to control the Wolbito’s entire lifecycle, from eggs to mature mosquitoes. The program includes the distribution of the biological material and the deployment of administrative personnel.

The Belo Horizonte Biofactory is projected to produce approximately two million mosquitoes a week. Upon release into the environment, these mosquitoes will mate with local Aedes aegypti, creating a new population incapable of transmitting diseases like dengue.

During the initial stage of the project, in Minas Gerais, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia bacteria will be released in the city of Brumadinho and 21 other municipalities within the Paraopeba River Basin. The State Health Department expects that, at a later stage, the mosquito release will be extended to all municipalities in Minas Gerais.

This approach involves the release in the open of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying the Wolbachia bacterium. This microorganism effectively halts the development of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya viruses in the mosquitoes and interrupts transmission to humans. These specially bred mosquitoes, known as Wolbitos, are neither genetically modified nor vectors for other diseases.

Innovative strategy

According to Ethel Maciel, the Secretary for Health and Environmental Surveillance at the Ministry of Health, "the expansion of cities using the Wolbachia Method and the construction of new factories, such as the one in Belo Horizonte, are of great importance if we are to face future epidemics and protect the Brazilian population even more. This technology is proof that science must be increasingly encouraged and valued".

The secretary took the opportunity of the inauguration to unveil the Ministry of Health's expansion plan. In addition to existing biofactories in Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, two additional units are planned for Ceará and Paraná. "These are the fruits of scientific investment, over more than 10 years of research. We are here to celebrate a scientific achievement that protects and saves lives," she said.

Marco Krieger, Vice President of Production and Health Innovation at Fiocruz, emphasized the institution's pursuit of innovative solutions to bolster the national effort against arboviruses. “Building new biofactories and increasing production at existing ones could expand the Wolbachia method and support the Ministry of Health's strategies effectively,” he said.

The Wolbachia Method has already been deployed in certain areas of Belo Horizonte through mosquito releases. The first stage, conducted in the Venda Nova region, was concluded in January 2021. An expanded round of releases happened between 2022 and 2023. A comprehensive clinical study is currently underway to demonstrate the method's effectiveness and its impact on safeguarding the population.

Application of this technology in Niterói (RJ) showed a 69.4% reduction in dengue cases, 56.3% in chikungunya cases and 37% in Zika cases throughout the city. The Wolbachia Method is being implemented in Rio de Janeiro, Campo Grande (MS), Petrolina (PE), Joinville (SC), Foz do Iguaçu (PR) and Londrina (PR). Community engagement work will soon begin in Uberlândia (MG), Presidente Prudente (SP) and Natal (RN).

How it Works

The strategy involves introducing Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia into the local insect population, allowing them to interbreed. Over time, this process establishes a new population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, all of which carry Wolbachia. These Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes, known as Wolbitos, are not genetically modified and do not transmit diseases.

Wolbachia is an intracellular microorganism found naturally in about 60% of insects, yet absent in Aedes aegypti. When introduced into these mosquitoes, Wolbachia effectively impedes the development of dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and urban yellow fever viruses within them, contributing significantly to reducing these diseases.

Once Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes are released into the environment, they mate with wild mosquitoes, contributing to the generation of offspring that are not capable of transmitting these arboviruses. Gradually, the proportion of mosquitoes carrying this microorganism rises, eventually reaching a sustained high level without requiring additional releases.

Environmental reparations

Funding for this initiative, which began in February 2023, comes from the reparations agreement that followed the January 2019 Vale mining dam collapse in Brumadinho. That catastrophic event claimed the lives of 272 people and triggered a cascade of social, economic and environmental repercussions in the area.

Alongside the establishment of the Biofactory, the agreement includes provisions for equipment assembly and operational expenses for a five-year period. The construction of the facility required an investment of approximately R$20 million, with an additional estimated operational cost of R$57 million over the designated period, as reported by the State Government.