Wolbachia-Based Approaches to Controlling Mosquito-Borne Viral Threats: Innovations, AI Integration, and Future Directions in the Context of Climate Change
Francesco Branda,
Eleonora Cella,
Fabio Scarpa,
Svetoslav Nanev Slavov,
Annamaria Bevivino,
Riccardo Moretti,
Abate Lemlem Degafu,
Leandro Pecchia,
Alberto Rizzo,
Francesco Defilippo,
Ana Moreno,
Giancarlo Ceccarelli,
Luiz Carlos Junior Alcantara,
Alvaro Ferreira,
Massimo Ciccozzi,
Marta Giovanetti
Affiliations
Francesco Branda
Unit of Medical Statistics and Molecular Epidemiology, University of Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy
Eleonora Cella
Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32827, USA
Fabio Scarpa
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Svetoslav Nanev Slavov
Butantan Institute, São Paulo 21040-900, Brazil
Annamaria Bevivino
Department for Sustainability, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, 00123 Rome, Italy
Riccardo Moretti
Department for Sustainability, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, 00123 Rome, Italy
Abate Lemlem Degafu
Unit of Intelligent Health Technologies, Sustainable Design Management and Assessment, Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy
Leandro Pecchia
Unit of Intelligent Health Technologies, Sustainable Design Management and Assessment, Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy
Alberto Rizzo
Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Virology and Bioemergencies, Ospedale Sacco, 20157 Milan, Italy
Francesco Defilippo
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna “B. Ubertini” (IZSLER), 25124 Brescia, Italy
Ana Moreno
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna “B. Ubertini” (IZSLER), 25124 Brescia, Italy
Wolbachia-based mosquito control strategies have gained significant attention as a sustainable approach to reduce the transmission of vector-borne diseases such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. These endosymbiotic bacteria can limit the ability of mosquitoes to transmit pathogens, offering a promising alternative to traditional chemical-based interventions. With the growing impact of climate change on mosquito population dynamics and disease transmission, Wolbachia interventions represent an adaptable and resilient strategy for mitigating the public health burden of vector-borne diseases. Changes in temperature, humidity, and rainfall patterns can alter mosquito breeding habitats and extend the geographical range of disease vectors, increasing the urgency for effective control measures. This review highlights innovations in Wolbachia-based mosquito control and explores future directions in the context of climate change. It emphasizes the integration of Wolbachia with other biological approaches and the need for multidisciplinary efforts to address climate-amplified disease risks. As ecosystems shift, Wolbachia interventions could be crucial in reducing mosquito-borne diseases, especially in vulnerable regions. AI integration in Wolbachia research presents opportunities to enhance mosquito control strategies by modeling ecological data, predicting mosquito dynamics, and optimizing intervention outcomes. Key areas include refining release strategies, real-time monitoring, and scaling interventions. Future opportunities lie in advancing AI-driven approaches for integrating Wolbachia with other vector control measures, promoting adaptive, data-driven responses to climate-amplified disease transmission.
