Mark–Release–Recapture (MRR) of Sterile Male <i>Aedes albopictus</i> (Skuse) in Sri Lanka: Field Performance of Sterile Males and Estimation of the Wild Mosquito Population Density
Menaka Hapugoda,
Nilmini Silva Gunawardena,
Tharaka Ranathunge,
Jeremy Bouyer,
Hamidou Maiga,
Kankanige Karunathilake,
Gayan Parakrama Withanage,
Indika Weerasinghe,
Bazoumana B. D. Sow,
Jeevanie Harishchandra
Affiliations
Menaka Hapugoda
Molecular Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Ragama 11010, Sri Lanka
Nilmini Silva Gunawardena
Molecular Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Ragama 11010, Sri Lanka
Tharaka Ranathunge
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Eastern University, Batticaloa 30000, Sri Lanka
Jeremy Bouyer
Insect Pest Control Subprogramme, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, 1400 Vienna, Austria
Hamidou Maiga
Insect Pest Control Subprogramme, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, 1400 Vienna, Austria
Kankanige Karunathilake
Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Science, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya 11010, Sri Lanka
Gayan Parakrama Withanage
Molecular Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Ragama 11010, Sri Lanka
Indika Weerasinghe
National Dengue Control Unit, Public Health Complex, Ministry of Health, Narahenpita, Colombo 01000, Sri Lanka
Bazoumana B. D. Sow
Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS), Bobo-Dioulasso 01 BP 545, Burkina Faso
Jeevanie Harishchandra
Anti-Malaria Campaign (AMC), Public Health Complex, Ministry of Health, Narahenpita, Colombo 01000, Sri Lanka
Dengue is an important mosquito-borne disease in Sri Lanka. The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is an environment-friendly and novel method that can suppress dengue vector mosquitoes in Sri Lanka. This study aimed to evaluate the field performance of sterile males and the density of wild male Aedes albopictus (Skuse) using a Mark–Release–Recapture (MRR) assay. Laboratory-colonized male pupae were exposed to 50 Gy gamma using a Co60 source. Sterile males (approx. 10,000) marked with fluorescent dust were released weekly for 4 consecutive weeks (January–February 2021) in a geographically isolated 30 ha site in Gampaha. Results show sterile males could disperse up to 543.8 m with a mean distance of 255.1 ± 44.6 m and survive up to 6 days with a mean life expectancy of 3.55 ± 2.32 days. A high field mating competitiveness of sterile males based on a Fried value of 0.47 ± 0.007 and significant induced sterility in the wild eggs in the second generation were found. The mean wild male mosquito population density was 163 males/ha. The data generated will be useful for designing future trials in Sri Lanka and other countries with similar situations.
