PLOS NTDs: a soda sugar bait with RNAi yeast killed 94–100% of Aedes, Anopheles and Culex mosquitoes and stayed active for at least 14 months

A study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases on 21 September 2026 (Indiana University School of Medicine, the University of Notre Dame and the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago) tested attractive targeted sugar baits (ATSBs) containing the genetically engineered yeast strain Sh.463, which produces RNAi molecules, in three baits: soda (Coca-Cola), 10% sucrose and the commercial mosquito bait BaitStab.

Main points

• In the laboratory, all RNAi yeast bait formulations gave mean mortality of 87–100%, against 0–9% in the controls; the soda formulation performed best, with 94–100% mortality in all mosquito species tested (Aedes, Anopheles, Culex).
• Semi-field trials in Trinidad with flowers and fruits commonly found around homes showed the soda bait still worked well with many competing natural sugar sources (tested with Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus); however, several fruits and flowers significantly reduced mortality, depending on mosquito species, sex and plant, so more field testing is needed.
• The Sh.463 + soda formulation stayed active for at least 14 months, with sustained 100% mortality in Culex quinquefasciatus and 93–100% in Aedes aegypti, Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles stephensi. The bait also performed well in a prototype soda bottle feeder.
• The authors say soda-baited RNAi yeast could become a long-lasting, scalable tool used as one part of integrated vector management programmes.

VPMA’s note

These are research results, not a product authorised for sale in Vietnam. Attractive targeted sugar baits could reduce wide-area spraying and may be species-specific; members should follow future field evaluations and the matching regulations.

Source: PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases – Soda-baited RNAi yeast insecticides as effective Attractive Targeted Sugar Baits (ATSBs) for mosquito control (summarised in English by VPMA). Read the Vietnamese page.

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