ABSTRACT

318Effective management of insect pathogens in insect mass-rearing is fundamental to the successful implementation of area-wide integrated pest management programmes (AW-IPM) with a sterile insect technique (SIT) component. Insect pathogens, notably viral pathogens, affect the sustainable production of high-quality males for the SIT, either by compromising colony establishment and stability or by reducing insect performance, including mating and flight ability. Many pathogenic bacteria, fungi, microsporidia, spiroplasma/mycoplasma and viruses can infect insects. Due to the broad subject of insect pathology, only the pathogens affecting insect mass-rearing facilities producing sterile insects are discussed here, with a special focus on tsetse flies, mosquitoes and codling moth viral pathogens. Special emphasis is given to the successful management of the tsetse salivary gland hypertrophy virus (SGHV), the current management of the codling moth granulovirus (CpGV), and the risk of infections of mass-reared mosquitoes with pathogenic viruses and other vector-borne diseases. Also discussed are the potential risks posed by these pathogens to staff working in mass-production facilities.