ArticlePloS one2025
Economic evaluation of Wolbachia deployment in Colombia: A modeling study.
Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Barriers in operating proactive source reduction informed by an early warning system for dengue prevention: A qualitative study from end-user perspectives in Vietnam.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2026Article
- The cost-effectiveness of Wolbachia-based biocontrol interventions for dengue: A scoping review of the available evidence.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2026Article
- Ecological and engineered modulation of the mosquito microbiome: mechanisms, vector competence, and translational prospects for disease control.Frontiers in microbiology · 2026Review
- Reduced dengue incidence following city-wide wMel Wolbachia mosquito releases throughout three Colombian cities: Interrupted time series analysis and a prospective case-control study.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2023Article
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5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimsWolbachia are bacteria that inhibit dengue virus replication within the mosquito. A cluster-randomized trial in Indonesia found Wolbachia reduced virologically-confirmed dengue cases by 77.1%. Previous models predicted Wolbachia to be highly cost-effective in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Brazil. To inform decisions about future extensions in Colombia, we performed economic evaluations of potential Wolbachia deployments in 11 target cities.
methodsWe assembled the numbers and distribution by severity of reported dengue cases from Colombia's national disease surveillance system and the health service provision registry (RIPS). An epidemiological panel of three experts estimated the shares of dengue that were non-medical, under-reported, or misreported as another disease. We determined costs (in 2020 US dollars at market prices) of treating dengue illness from the benchmark insurance tariff and RIPS data on treatment services per symptomatic dengue case. Our central estimates projected 10 years of efficacy and focused on Cali, the target city with the highest number of dengue cases.
resultsFor Cali, we estimated a net health-sector savings of US$4.95 per person and averting 369 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per 100,000 population. From a societal perspective, at 10 years Wolbachia deployment is expected to have highly favorable benefit-cost ratios, with benefits per dollar invested of US$5.50 in Cali and US$4.68 over all target cities.
conclusionsOver 10 years, Wolbachia is highly beneficial on economic grounds, and almost universally cost saving. The Wolbachia program's economic benefits exceeded its costs in all 11 cities. The program's savings in healthcare costs alone would more than offset deployment costs nationally and in 9 of 11 target cities. Wolbachia is likely to be the most cost-effective or cost-saving dengue control option in municipalities with both high incidence of dengue and high population density, whereas areas with high dengue incidence but low population density should consider vaccination.
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