Nigerian Researcher Proposes Wolbachia Mosquito Strategy to Tackle Zika Virus Spread

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

A new mathematical modelling study has offered strong evidence that combining conventional public health strategies with the release of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes could significantly reduce, and potentially eliminate, the spread of the Zika virus in affected regions.
The study, titled Optimal Control Strategies for the Transmission Dynamics of Zika Virus with the Aid of Wolbachia-infected Mosquitoes, was led by Nigerian researcher Jane Ojowu Odeh, who used computer simulations to test how various interventions might impact Zika virus transmission rates over time.

Zika, which is spread both by infected mosquitoes and through sexual contact, has been linked to serious complications, including birth defects in newborns. With limited treatment options available, the virus continues to pose a threat in tropical and sub-tropical areas globally.
According to Odeh, the model was designed to reflect how the virus spreads between humans and mosquitoes under different scenarios. A key innovation in the research was the introduction of a second mosquito group, one infected with Wolbachia, a harmless bacterium that blocks the Zika virus from multiplying inside mosquitoes.
The study tested four control measures: condom use to reduce sexual transmission, early screening and treatment of infected individuals, increased breeding of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes, and direct release of these modified mosquitoes into the environment. Using MATLAB, the team ran simulations applying each intervention alone, in pairs, and in full combination.

“We ran different ‘what-if’ scenarios,” Odeh said. “Each time, we monitored how quickly the infection rate dropped, how the mosquito population shifted, and how long it would take to break the cycle of transmission.”

The results showed that when all four strategies were applied together, new Zika cases dropped to almost zero in under 100 days, and the population of disease-carrying mosquitoes was rapidly overtaken by the Wolbachia-infected group. Even when implemented individually, each intervention contributed meaningfully, with early treatment of infected persons reducing human cases the most, while mosquito-focused measures drove down the number of vectors.

“The power of the model is in showing how strategic combinations of existing tools can make a much bigger impact,” Odeh explained. “For instance, combining condom use with timely treatment, or pairing mosquito release with breeding control, proved highly effective even without applying all four methods at once.”

The study adds to growing international research supporting the use of Wolbachia-based strategies. Studies in Brazil, Indonesia and Australia have already tried similar mosquito release programmes with positive early outcomes. Odeh’s work provides additional insight by quantifying how these methods would interact with behavioural and clinical responses in a coordinated outbreak response.

More broadly, the research highlights the role of mathematical modelling in shaping public health policy, especially for diseases like Zika that involve complex transmission pathways.

“At the end of the day, these are tools,” Odeh said. “But when used together, with good planning and public cooperation, we can build stronger systems that protect vulnerable populations and stop outbreaks before they spiral.”As public health authorities across Africa continue to grapple with the dual challenge of vector-borne diseases and limited healthcare infrastructure, experts say innovative models like this could inform more effective and cost-efficient control strategies.