World Mosquito Program

The World Mosquito Program (WMP) is a not-for-profit group of companies owned by Monash University that works to protect the global community from mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, Zika, yellow fever and chikungunya. The World Mosquito Program uses naturally-occurring bacteria called Wolbachia to reduce the ability of mosquitoes to transmit viruses that cause life-threatening disease.

A growing body of evidence to support the efficacy of the method includes a randomised trial in Indonesia which shows a 77% reduction in dengue incidence in areas treated with Wolbachia. In the decade since implementation began in north Queensland, dengue has effectively been eliminated as a public health concern in the region.

Following years of laboratory research, independent risk analysis and successful field trials, WMP has undertaken deployments in 11 countries around the world, protecting more than 8.6 million people as at December 2021. We have widespread support from communities, governments and public health regulators, and are now undergoing rapid organisational growth. Scale-up plans for national deployments in existing countries are in preparation in addition to groundwork for potential expansion to new countries.

Multiple risk analyses conducted on the Wolbachia method have concluded that it is safe for people, animals and the environment. Releases of Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes receive regulatory approval from relevant government bodies in every country where they take place. We only release mosquitoes with community endorsement.

WMP is funded through major grants, government departments and philanthropic supporters from all over the world. You can find out more by visiting www.worldmosquitoprogram.org.