Wolbachia releases for dengue control: why the evidence supports a pause and independent re-evaluation

BACKGROUND: have been promoted as a sustainable, transmission-blocking strategy to curb arboviral disease. OBJECTIVES: interventions, evaluate their epidemiological impact and durability under diverse field conditions. METHODS: infection frequencies in mosquito populations, and contextual environmental and operational factors were examined using national and municipal datasets and official reports. RESULTS: populations and dengue outbreaks within release zones. Limited access to underlying data is available for independent analyses. Theoretical and empirical evidence from vector-pathogen systems indicates that partial transmission blocking potentially imposes selection favouring more transmissible or virulent viral variants. CONCLUSION: releases as a robust, long-term dengue control strategy across diverse ecological and operational contexts. A global pause on ongoing and planned deployments, alongside an independent, transparent, science-based re-evaluation of effectiveness, safety, and sustainability, is therefore warranted before further expansion.