New malaria agent found in chimpanzees close to that commonly observed in humansMay 29, 2009Researchers based in Gabon and France report the discovery of a new malaria agent infecting chimpanzees in Central Africa. This new species, named Plasmodium gaboni, is a close relative of the most virulent human agent P. falciparum; it is described in an article published May 29 in the open-access journal PLoS Pathogens. P. falciparum is the major human malaria agent responsible for one to three million deaths annually. In 2002, the publication of the genome of P. falciparum generated new hopes in the fight against this deadly disease, by the opportunities it offered to discover new drug targets. However, the lack of known related genomes has limited the development of comparative genomics according to the study's researchers from Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, and l'Institut de Recherche pour le Développement. To investigate the diversity of Plasmodium parasites circulating in chimpanzees in Africa, the team collected blood from 19 wild-borne animals kept as pets by villagers in Gabon. Two were found infected by a Plasmodium parasite. The sequencing of the parasite's whole mitochondrial genome revealed that it belonged to a previously undescribed species of Plasmodium, closely related to P. falciparum. Sequencing of the nuclear genome of this new agent should further the understanding of genomic adaptations of P. falciparum to humans and thus help discover new potential drug targets. The development of comparative genomics to further understanding of P. falciparum has been hindered by a lack of knowledge of closely related species' genomes. Only one species, P. reichenowi, infecting chimpanzees, was previously known as a sister lineage of P. falciparum. Additional information on related species has thus been needed, making the discovery of P. gaboni an important step forward in exploring a possible relationship for malaria between chimpanzees and humans. http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1000446 PLoS PATHOGENS (www.plospathogens.org) Public Library of Science |
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| Related Malaria Current Events and Malaria News Articles PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative shares strategy for developing 'next-generation' malaria vaccines Marking its tenth anniversary year, the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI) today unveiled a new strategy that sets the stage for an aggressive push targeting the long-term goal of eliminating and eradicating malaria. Malaria is one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases, killing nearly 900,000 people a year, most of them children in sub-Saharan Africa. Global challenges and opportunities in fighting HIV/AIDS and neglected diseases Responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and tackling so-called neglected tropical diseases are the focus of the November/December 2009 edition of Health Affairs. Media availability: The role of biomedical research in malaria eradication Although malaria has been controlled in many local and regional populations, the permanent elimination of malaria parasites throughout the world remains an elusive goal, and the disease continues to claim nearly one million lives each year. Ineffective monotherapies common in high-burden malarious countries ACTwatch, a research project led by PSI, in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, released evidence today that indicates that artemisinin combination therapy, the most effective medicines for treating malaria, continue to have a significantly low presence on the market among populations considered to be most at risk. New tool promises more accurate antimalarial drug dosing Scientists at LSTM have developed a tool to support the development of appropriate age-based dosing regimens for malaria drugs. Cell phones become handheld tools for global development Mobile phones are on the verge of becoming powerful tools to collect data on many issues, ranging from global health to the environment. Exon-skipping drug prevents muscle wasting, maintains muscle function in dystrophin deficient mice An exon skipping PPMO has demonstrated dramatic effects in the prevention and treatment of severely affected, dystrophin and utrophin-deficient mice, preventing severe deterioration of the treated animals and extending their lifespan. UM School of Medicine researchers find extreme genetic variability in malaria parasite Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) have charted the extreme genetic differences that occur over time in the most dangerous malaria parasite in the world. Outfoxing pox: Developing a new class of vaccine candidates In the annals of medicine, Edward Jenner's 1796 vaccination of a young boy against smallpox, using fluid from cowpox blisters, remains a landmark case. In a new study, Kathryn Sykes, a researcher at Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute and her colleagues have taken a fresh look at cowpox. Ironing out the genetic cause of hemoglobin problems A gene with a significant effect on regulating hemoglobin in the body has been identified as part of a genome-wide association study, which looked at the link between genes and hemoglobin level in 16,000 people. More Malaria Current Events and Malaria News Articles |
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