Florida Keys 15 th March

background

•

Foundation

– Oxford University – – 2002 Private company, 40 staff •

Collaborations

– US Department of Agriculture – – – – – University of California, Irvine and Colorado State Univ Institut Pasteur, France Ministry of Health, Malaysia Gorgas Institute, Panama Mosquito Research and Control Unit, Cayman – – – GBIT, India Moscamed / University of Sao Paulo Brazil SIPPE China

goals

Combat insect borne diseases Improve crop yields through the reduction of the insect population causing disease or damaging crops genetic approach that is safe, sustainable, economic and applicable to many insect species worldwide

dengue fever

Dengue is a global unmet health challenge • • • • • • • 50 -100 million cases pa, increasing One main vector worldwide; Aedes aegypti Invasive species in most countries Symptoms – joint/muscle pain ‘Breakbone fever’ Severe form Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) No medication or vaccine Same vector – Chikungunya and Yellow Fever

reported dengue cases

Sources: PAHO/WHO

Why is dengue growing?

• ‘Dengue prevention and control solely depends on effective vector control measures’ WHO •

Aedes aegypti

is an invasive species in most countries • • highly adapted to the urban environment very difficult to control with larvicides or insecticides • lays eggs in many small water containers • lives in and around the home

Oxitec’s solution

RIDL®

sterile insect techniques

• • •

Benefits

– environmentally friendly – – – males actively seek females proven approach long history

Major programmes

– New World screw worm – Cotton (Pink bollworm) Citrus (Medfly)

But, has not proved viable in mosquitoes

•

Benefits

– proven in mosquitoes – – – – – applicable to local area control many species minimal fitness penalty male only release ‘built in’ monitoring

benefits of Oxitec’s approach

• reduction in target insect population • species specific • self limiting strategy, controllable • defined area • low environmental impact – APHIS (USDA) Environmental Impact Statement: approach is ‘environmentally preferable’ to available alternatives.

releases

1 The releases are made at predetermined points by hand or from the back of a truck

Cayman Islands open trial 2010

July- releases at target level August- popn starts to decline October Control

public engagement

Thank you!

www.oxitec.com