Brazil has launched the world’s largest mosquito biofactory, designed to breed Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria—a groundbreaking method to curb the spread of dengue. The facility, located in Curitiba and inaugurated on July 19, is expected to protect up to 140 million people from the disease in the coming years, according to the company.
The Wolbito do Brasil plant is a joint initiative between the World Mosquito Program, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), and the Institute of Molecular Biology of Paraná, operating under Brazil’s Ministry of Health. With the capacity to produce 100 million mosquito eggs each week, the facility could shield around 7 million people every six months, CEO Luciano Moreira said in an interview.
Dengue—often called “break-bone fever” due to the severe pain it causes—infects hundreds of millions globally each year. In Brazil, 2023 marked the country’s worst year on record, with 6,297 deaths, according to World Health Organization (WHO) data.
Wolbachia bacteria work by preventing mosquitoes from transmitting viruses such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. When infected mosquitoes are released, they breed with local populations, passing on the bacteria and effectively blocking virus transmission. Since 2014, the method has already safeguarded more than 5 million Brazilians across eight cities, health ministry data shows.
“Wolbachia only lives inside insect cells. So, if an insect dies, it dies too,” explained production manager Antonio Brandão, calling the approach both natural and safe. “The bacteria are already present in more than 60% of insect species in nature, and for centuries, there has been no interaction with humans.”
As operations expand, specially equipped vehicles will release Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes in dengue hotspots.
“The neighborhoods with the highest incidence of dengue are always prioritized,” said operations coordinator Tamila Kleine.
Public health officials hope the factory’s unprecedented scale will turn the tide against one of Brazil’s deadliest diseases.
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