VOTING MEMBERSDAVID IGE

SUZANNE CASE
DEPARTMENT OF LAND & NATURALRESOURCESGOVERNOR OF HAWAIISHAN TSUTSUISCOTT ENRIGHTHAWAII DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

LIEUTENANT GOVERNORKEITH KAWAOKA, D.Env
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
MARIA GALLO, PhD
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘IHAWAII INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL1151 PUNCHBOWL ST, #325
HONOLULU, HAWAII 96813

LEO ASUNCION
OFFICE OF PLANNING, DEPARTMENT OF
BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT &TOURISMDAVID RODRIGUEZDEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONJanuary 17, 2016SUBMITTALTO:

Co-chairs and Members
Hawaii Invasive Species Council
State of Hawaii

FROM:

Joshua Atwood, Program Supervisor
Hawaii Invasive Species Council
Cynthia King, Entomologist & Hawaii Mosquito Working Group Chair
Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife

SUBJECT:

Requesting a resolution supporting evaluation and implementation of technologies
for landscape-scale control of mosquitoes, with a focus on mitigating both humanand wildlife health risks

Background
Hawaii has no indigenous mosquito species, and none were present in Hawaii until the accidental
introduction of Culex quinquefaciatus by ship in 1826. Since then eight species of mosquito havebecome established in Hawaii. According to the Hawaii Department of Health1, only six of thesespecies interact with humans and wildlife:• Aedes albopictus, a day-biting mosquito found throughout the state• Aedes aegypti, a day-biting mosquito established on Hawaii Island only, though
individuals have been periodically intercepted at Honolulu International Airport• Aedes japonicus, a day-biting mosquito found on Hawaii Island, Maui, Oahu, and Kauai,• Aedes vexans, a night-biting mosquito found on Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, and Hawaii
Island• Wyeomyia mitchelli, a day-biting mosquito found on Hawaii Island, Oahu, and Kauai• Culex quinquefasciatus, a night-biting mosquito found throughout the state.
Mosquitoes provide a pathway for the introduction and spread of a variety of vector-borne
diseases. Of particular concern to Hawaii are the following diseases, all vectored by mosquitoes:• Dengue fever, vectored by Aedes mosquitoes• Zika, vectored by Aedes mosquitoes• Chikungunya, vectored by Aedes mosquitoes• Yellow fever, vectored by Aedes mosquitoes• West Nile Virus, primarily vectored by C. quiquefasciatus• Avian malaria, primarily vectored by C. quinquefasciatus

There are many other mosquitoes not currently present in Hawaii that could increase risk for
disease transmission if they became established. Malaria, for example, is vectored by mosquitoes
in the Anopheles genus, which is not established in Hawaii. A single individual of Anopheles
punctipennis was, however, intercepted on Oahu in 20032.
In 2015 and 2016, there were a total of 262 cases of dengue fever, 10 cases of Chikungunya, and17 cases of Zika in Hawaii3. To date, individuals with Chikungunya or Zika have been infected
outside of Hawaii, and these viruses are not known to be circulating within the state. However,the presence of Aedes mosquitoes in Hawaii does present a risk for local circulation of these
diseases in the future. All three of these viruses can result in fever, muscle pain, joint pain, and,in rare circumstances, death. Additionally, Zika is associated with microcephaly, a birth defectresulting in the development of a smaller than usual head and subsequent impacts on brain
development and function. Yellow fever, malaria, and West Nile Virus also cause fever, muscle,
and joint pain, though these have not been detected in Hawaii to date.
In addition to human impacts, Hawaii's native bird species are susceptible to some diseases thatare vectored by mosquitoes. In Hawaii, avian malaria is circulated by C. quinquefasciatus at lowelevations. As a result many native bird species are only found at higher elevations, wheretemperatures are suboptimal for mosquito populations. As climates change, these high elevation
refugia are predicted to shrink as the warmer habitat conditions favored by mosquitoes movehigher into mountainous areas. Hawaii has already seen nine bird species go extinct in the last 30years; the remaining 24 species are at great risk as mosquito habitats expand and spread avian
malaria into new locations.
Control of mosquito populations through chemical and mechanical methods is logisticallychallenging. While public education to reduce breeding sites (such as bromeliads or other watercollecting items) can help mitigate localized impacts, effective control over large areas currently
requires the use of insecticides. However, a recent analysis of A. aegypti populations in Florida
demonstrated an acquired resistance to pyrethroids, a class of commonly used insecticides4.
Should currently available chemical control methods become ineffective, the development of
new chemical products is unlikely to due to the high costs for research and regulatory approvals4.
To protect Hawaii's people and wildlife from the impacts of mosquito-borne disease, researchers
should be encouraged to explore non-chemical options for landscape-scale control ofmosquitoes.
References:
1. Hawaii Department of Health, Vector Control Branch, Bulletin 3. 2011. Honolulu (HI)[accessed January 6, 2017] http://health.hawaii.gov/about/files/2013/06/VCB-bulletin_03_11.pdf
2. Furumizo RT, Warashina WR, Savage HM. 2005. First collection of Anopheles (Anopheles)
punctipennis (Say) on Oahu, Hawaii: implications for the potential introduction of West Nile
Virus. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association. 21(2):225-6.
3. Hawaii Department of Health, Disease Outbreak Control Division. "Mosquito-BorneDiseases." Honolulu (HI) [accessed January 6, 2017]
http://health.hawaii.gov/docd/dib/disease/mosquito-borne-diseases/
4. Bunge J, McKay B. January 5, 2017. In the Fight Against Zika, Insecticides Hit a "Dead End."
The Wall Street Journal [accessed January 6, 2017]. http://www.wsj.com/articles/fight-againstzika-nears-dead-end-1483621245
Discussion

The recent International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation
Congress (WCC) generated a number of discussions relating to mosquito impacts on both humanand wildlife health, and options for landscape-scale control of mosquitoes. Experts at theUniversity of Hawaii, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Department of Health,and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, among others, have begun identifying safe mosquito
control technologies that could be implemented in Hawaii. There are several different
technologies that could potentially be used, including:• Sterile Insect Technique (SIT): Using this method a population of mosquitoes in alaboratory is irradiated to induce sterility and then males are released into a given area tomate with wild-type mosquitoes. No offspring are produced from these pairings, reducing
the number of mosquitoes in the next generation. This technique is already used in
Hawaii for fruit fly suppression. This technique is non-persistent, meaning that there is nolasting impact to subsequent generations in the wild and the technique would need to berepeated periodically to continue suppressing mosquito populations.
• Wolbachia, or Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT): Wolbachia is a naturally occurring
bacterium found within many arthropods. There are different strains of Wolbachia, and inmosquitoes two individuals with different strains of Wolbachia are unable to produce
viable offspring. By examining the strain of Wolbachia found in mosquitoes in Hawaii
researchers may be able to lab-rear mosquitoes with an incompatible Wolbachia strain.
Similar to SIT, the IIT functions via the release of lab-reared male mosquitoes to matewith wild-type mosquitoes, reducing the number of mosquitoes in the next generation due
to incompatible mating. Mosquitos with Wolbachia have been approved by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency for use and are already being used for mosquito
control in the U.S. This technique is also non-persistent and would need to be repeatedperiodically.
• Self-limiting genetic technique: This technique involves a genetic modification tosterilize male mosquitoes reared in a laboratory. When the lab-reared mosquitoes arereleased and mate with wild-type females, no viable offspring are produced in the next
generation. This technique is self-limiting, as the genetic modification is not passed on toany viable offspring and effectively removes itself from the environment. Self-limitingmosquitoes have been used successfully in multiple locations around the world tosuppress wild mosquito populations and has been approved by the Food and Drug
Administration for use in the U.S. This technique is non-persistent and would need to berepeated periodically to achieve continued suppression of mosquito populations.
• Gene drive: Gene drive techniques are not currently available for use, but research has
begun on how this approach could be safely implemented. The concept behind gene
drives is to insert a genetic modification into lab-reared mosquitoes in such a way that thegene has a dominant inheritance pattern and spreads through a population over multiplegenerations. These modifications could, for example, result in unviable offspring, theproduction of solely male (non-biting) offspring, or the production of mosquitoes that aresimply immune to diseases like avian malaria. This technique is persistent, meaning thatit remains in the environment through subsequent generations. Research into thistechnology should address safeguards that minimize the risk for spread of genes beyond adesired geographical area, identify the potential for halting or reversing the spread ofaltered genes, and ensure that the process is transparent and acceptable to the public.
Locally-confined drive systems are currently theoretical and would require extensive
safety testing in laboratories before they might be available for field trials.

Technologies that reduce the use of insecticide, reduce response costs, and safely control
mosquitoes on the landscape scale should be a priority for development in Hawaii. To maximize
the impact and cost-effectiveness of research and development, human and wildlife healthexperts should work together on projects that provide outcomes for mitigating the spread of bothhuman and wildlife diseases.
Legal Authority• HRS 194-2 authorizes the HISC to advise and coordinate invasive species-related efforts
with and between state, federal, international, and private programs.
Recommendations
That the Hawaii Invasive Species Council (HISC) adopt a resolution, in substantially the same
form as attached to this submittal, that:
1. Recognizes landscape-scale control of mosquitoes to be an important, cross-sector
invasive species goal2. Supports evaluation of technologies for landscape-scale control of mosquitoes in Hawaii,
including sterile insect technique, incompatible insect technique, and genetic tools
3. Encourages researchers to take a cross-sector approach to evaluating technologies andwherever possible pursue research that benefits both human health and the health ofnative wildlife
4. Supports implementing evaluated technologies that are scientifically demonstrated assafe, effective control methods for mosquitoes
Attachments
1. Draft HISC Resolution 17-2: Supporting evaluation and implementation of technologies
for landscape-scale control of mosquitoes, with a focus on mitigating both human andwildlife health risks

Attachment 1: Draft HISC Resolution 17-2: Supporting evaluation and implementation oftechnologies for landscape-scale control of mosquitoes, with a focus on mitigating bothhuman and wildlife health risks
DRAFT RESOLUTION 17-2
SUPPORTING EVALUATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF TECHNOLOGIES FORLANDSCAPE-SCALE CONTROL OF MOSQUITOES, WITH A FOCUS ON MITIGATINGBOTH HUMAN AND WILDLIFE HEALTH RISKS
WHEREAS, there are no mosquitoes native to Hawaii; andWHEREAS, mosquitoes present in Hawaii are capable of vectoring diseases that negatively
impact human health, the health of native wildlife, and our tourism industry; andWHEREAS, control of mosquitoes in Hawaii may require tools and methods beyond use ofinsecticides; andWHEREAS, there technologies are being developed to address mosquitoes on the landscapescale, including sterile insect technique, incompatible insect technique, and genetic tool; andWHEREAS, Chapter 194, Hawaii Revised Statutes, authorizes the Hawaii Invasive Species
Council to advise and coordinate invasive species-related efforts with and between state, federal,international, and private programs, and to coordinate the State's position on issues with regard
to invasive species; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED that the Hawaii Invasive Species Council recognizes landscape-scale control
of mosquitoes to be an important, cross-sector invasive species goal; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Invasive Species Council supports evaluationand implementation of technologies for landscape-scale control of mosquitoes in Hawaii,including sterile insect technique, incompatible insect technique, and genetic tools; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Invasive Species Council encourages researchersand management agencies to take a cross-sector approach to evaluating technologies andwherever possible pursue research that benefits both human health, the health of native wildlife,
and our tourism industry; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Invasive Species Council supports implementing
evaluated technologies that are scientifically demonstrated as safe, effective control methods formosquitoes; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to theGovernor of Hawaii, the President of the State Senate, the Speaker of the State House ofRepresentatives, and to the directors or chairpersons of each HISC agency.
Adopted by the Hawaii Invasive Species Council on the following date: January 17, 2017

Suzanne D. Case, Department of Land & Natural
Resources

Scott Enright, Department of Agriculture

Keith Kawaoka, Department of HealthDavid
Rodriguez,
Transportation

Leo Asuncion, Office of Planning, Departmentof Business, Economic Development, andTourism

Rachel Novotny, Ph.D., University of Hawaii

Departmentof