Wolbachia is a genus of bacteria which infects arthropod species, including a high proportion of insects, as well as some nematodes. It is one of the world's most common parasitic microbes and is possibly the most common reproductive parasite in the biosphere. Its interactions with its hosts are often complex, and in some cases have evolved to symbiotic rather than parasitic. One study concluded more than 16% of neotropical insect species carry bacteria of this genus, and as many as 25-70% of all insect species are estimated to be potential hosts.
Read more about Wolbachia: History, Role in Sexual Differentiation of Hosts, Wolbachia Infections Confer Fitness Advantages, Horizontal Gene Transfer and Genomics, Applications To Human Health