"Other researchers are experimenting with Wolbachia as a means of suppressing Aedes mosquito populations. This approach involves the release of only male mosquitoes with Wolbachia. When these mosquitoes mate with wild female mosquitoes without Wolbachia, they are unable to reproduce. The technique requires the release of a large number of male mosquitoes to reduce the overall mosquito population. As with insecticides, this technique would need to be reapplied over time as the population of mosquitoes gradually returns."[0]

[0] - http://www.eliminatedengue.com/our-research/wolbachia

The article links to the project's announcement, https://blog.verily.com/2017/07/debug-fresno-our-first-us-fi... , which says

> "Debug Fresno will target the invasive Aedes aegypti mosquito, which can transmit diseases like Zika, dengue, and chikungunya. Aedes aegypti first appeared in the central valley of California in 2013, and since then has become pervasive in Fresno County. This study will be the largest U.S. release to-date of sterile male mosquitoes treated with Wolbachia, a naturally occurring bacterium, and will take place over a 20 week period in two neighborhoods each approximately 300 acres in size. When these sterile males mate with wild females the resulting eggs will not hatch."

So it's targeting the mosquitoes themselves, not just the viruses they carry.

Ah cool! TIL

wolbachia prevents (sexual) reproduction in various insects by a process called "Cytoplasmic incompatibility". This requires infected male to fertilize a non-infected female.

<disclaimer: IANAB>