World Mosquito Program

Mosquito-borne viral diseases are a public health threat to more than 100 countries

  • Protecting over 10 million people

    Serving 12 countries

  • Prevented 300,000 Dengue cases

    Prevented 20,000 hospitalisations

The World Mosquito Program is a not-for-profit group of companies owned by Monash University driven by a vision to protect the global community from mosquito-borne disease, such as dengue, Zika, yellow fever and chikungunya.

This is achieved by sustainably breeding and releasing mosquitoes with a safe and natural bacteria called Wolbachia to block transmission of mosquito-borne diseases in communities. Since the Wolbachia approach was deployed in 2011, an estimated 300,000 Dengue cases and 20,000 hospitalisations have been averted.

The World Mosquito Program works closely and actively with community groups and local health officials when releasing Wolbachia mosquitoes, with many households contributing by hosting mosquito boxes containing eggs and mosquito traps to collect samples. The phenomenal work of the World Mosquito Program has reached and protected over 10 million people in 12 countries. In areas where Wolbachia is self-sustaining at a high level, Dengue and chikungunya incidences have been significantly reduced.

Featured stories

The people, places, communities and partners who shape who we are, what we have achieved and where we aim to be. "It was like we were releasing hope..." When we release mosquitoes into a community, it’s crucial we have the support of the people who live there.

Read more about the framework behind this research

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