Presented by Tristan Hallum at the 94th Annual Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (MVCAC) Conference in Rancho Mirage, CA. 

Abstract:

 The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District (SGVMVCD) has spent the past year establishing the operational, technical, and community foundations necessary for future Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) releases using Aedes aegypti males infected with Wolbachia, produced by MosquitoMate, Inc. As vector control programs explore emerging biological tools, early preparation and rigorous local testing are essential to ensure effectiveness, safety, and public understanding. The District’s phased approach emphasizes both scientific validation and transparent communication to support long-term integration of SIT into regional mosquito management. Initial in-house health and fitness evaluations were conducted to assess the performance and competitiveness of the MosquitoMate strain under local environmental conditions. Concurrently, the District launched Mosquito Match, a public-facing outreach program designed to explain the science behind SIT, the mechanisms of Wolbachia-induced incompatibility, and the District’s preparatory work. In late 2025, a Mark-Release-Recapture (MRR) study was completed to evaluate dispersal and survival of released males, with a second MRR planned for early summer 2026. These trials are designed to refine field parameters and logistics in advance of a 16-week operational release and evaluation phase. Through this systematic, data-driven process, SGVMVCD is laying the groundwork for future SIT implementation, ensuring readiness to incorporate Wolbachia-based suppression into modern integrated vector management practices. 

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