$ cat ./records/gates-foundation-backed-the-first-release-of-wolbachia-infected-m-2014.txt
Gates Foundation backed the first release of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes to fight dengue in Latin America
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With Gates Foundation support, the World Mosquito Program conducted its first releases of Wolbachia-bacteria-infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Bello, Colombia — the first deployment of the Wolbachia method in Latin America. Wolbachia is a naturally occurring bacterium that, when carried by the mosquito, reduces its ability to transmit dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever by up to 77%. Unlike sterile insect or genetic approaches, Wolbachia spreads through wild populations and self-sustains — meaning releases need not be continuous. The Colombia deployment became a model for subsequent city-scale rollouts across Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and South America.
Source: https://www.worldmosquitoprogram.org/en/work/wolbachia-method/impact
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Related Accomplishments
January 2026
Gates-backed World Mosquito Program reaches 16 million people protected from dengue via Wolbachia method
The World Mosquito Program — backed in part by the Gates Foundation — announced in January 2026 that its Wolbachia-infected mosquito releases had reached over 16.1 million people across multiple countries, including Colombia, Indonesia, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Fiji, Vanuatu, and Vietnam. Wolbachia-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquitoes — which block dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever transmission — had established self-sustaining populations in treated cities without requiring ongoing releases. Gold-standard randomised trials in Indonesia showed a 77% reduction in dengue incidence. The program represented one of the largest and most cost-effective vector control deployments in history.
2025
Gates-Funded Monoclonal Antibody Shows Early Promise as a Single-Shot Malaria Shield
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