Articles tagged with Malaria
Research finds an association between a rare pregnancy condition called chorangiosis and full-blown malaria in pregnant women. The study suggests that active malarial infection enhances blood vessel growth in the placenta, potentially leading to complications like low birth weight.
Researchers engineered algae to produce a fusion protein that blocks malaria transmission, suggesting its potential use in treating other mucosal lining infections. The study's findings encourage the development of algae-based vaccines as a cheaper alternative for distributing life-saving medicines to developing countries.
As malaria incidence declines, it becomes increasingly concentrated in specific locations and groups, making targeted approaches crucial. Effective identification and treatment of infected individuals, particularly migrant workers and mobile populations, are essential for successful malaria elimination.
Sanofi launches large-scale production of partially synthetic artemisinin, a breakthrough in synthetic biology. The drug, developed by Professor Jay Keasling's team, aims to provide stable supply and low cost for developing countries.
Research in African malaria mosquitoes reveals a more complex range of forms due to frequent inter-mating, leading to implications for controlling the disease. The resulting hybrids may have effects on insecticide resistance and malaria parasite infectivity.
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have developed a new drug called ELQ-300 that shows great promise in treating and preventing malaria. The drug targets the parasite earlier than existing treatments, making it potentially more effective and requiring fewer doses.
Researchers identified a new class of anti-malarial compounds, 4-(1 H )-quinolone-3-diarylethers, derived from endochin, which effectively treats malaria in birds. The compounds demonstrated strong activity against Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, the parasites responsible for most human cases of malaria.
The efficacy of malaria vaccine candidate RTS,S wanes over four years, from 43.6% protection in the first year to zero by the fourth year. The study found that relative vaccine efficacy declines with increasing exposure to malaria, and a booster dose may be needed to sustain efficacy.
University of South Florida researchers played a key role in discovering a promising new antimalarial drug called ELQ-300, which has the potential to cure malaria and prevent its transmission. The drug targets the malaria parasite's energy household, selectively hitting only the parasite while sparing human cells.
A new study from NIMBioS found that using insecticide-treated bed nets can positively affect malaria's reproduction number, leading to potential elimination. The use of ITNs could reduce the transmission of malaria by reducing mosquito density and lifespan.
A study published in PLOS Medicine reveals that resistance to first line anti-malarial drugs is increasing on the Thai-Myanmar border, with a significant impact on the migrant population. The authors found that alternative treatments are urgently needed to replace the failing regimen.
A University of Michigan researcher has developed a new early warning system that can predict malaria epidemics in northwest India up to four months in advance using sea surface temperature forecasts. The system improves public health by increasing lead time for disease prevention strategies.
A diagnostic 'cocktail' containing a single drop of blood, a dribble of water, and a dose of DNA powder with gold particles can mean rapid diagnosis and treatment of the world's leading diseases. The technology uses nanoparticles to target and illuminate cancer cells and tumours.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute have developed a new method to compare proteins of An. albimanus and An. gambiae midguts, shedding light on the complex molecular workings of An. albimanus, a significant but understudied spreader of human malaria.
A researcher believes that individual countries can eliminate malaria and then coordinate efforts to achieve global eradication. The study found that countries that have eliminated malaria within their borders tend to maintain stable, low transmission rates.
Experts have disabled a unique member of signalling proteins essential for malaria development, arresting its life cycle in the mosquito. This breakthrough discovery could help design new drugs to control malaria transmission.
Researchers found that countries with eliminated malaria have maintained their malaria-free states with remarkable stability, challenging traditional theory. The elimination of malaria may be less costly to achieve and maintain than previously thought, according to the study published in Science journal.
A recent study suggests that eliminating malaria transmission completely can lead to reduced economic costs and improved public health outcomes in affected countries. Malaria elimination is found to be stable over time, with most eliminated countries experiencing low malaria transmission rates.
Researchers found that hourly temperature data provides a more accurate estimate of malaria parasite development rate than mean monthly temperatures. This approach has implications for understanding and predicting malaria transmission risk in different climates and regions.
Researchers found that blocking a complement protein C5 reduces placental blood vessel growth limitations, allowing for improved fetal survival and growth. The study provides hope for preventing adverse birth outcomes worldwide.
A review and meta-analysis found that 3 or more doses of intermittent preventive therapy during pregnancy with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine were associated with higher birth weights and lower risk of low birth weight. The researchers also noted that increasing resistance to the drug may require more frequent dosing.
Despite dire predictions, global health funding from the US and other donors appears to be holding steady. However, a new report highlights discrepancies between donor priorities and global health needs, suggesting that funding may need to be reassessed.
Researchers have discovered that malaria parasites can accumulate in areas of low placental blood flow, triggering an inflammatory response. This study shows that the dynamics of placental circulation can influence parasite behavior and sequestration, highlighting a new potential target for therapeutics.
A new study found that malaria and typhoid fever are the biggest health threats for travelers to tropics, affecting 4% of returned travelers. The study analyzed over 82,000 ill travelers and found no cases of Ebola or other feared diseases.
A team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has identified a powerful new weapon against malaria by mimicking a natural defense found in human blood platelets. They discovered that a synthetic molecule, PMX1207, targets and destroys the parasite's digestive vacuole, killing it without harming the host cell.
Researchers discovered that adding lovastatin to traditional antimalarial treatment decreases neuroinflammation and protects against cognitive impairment in a mouse model of cerebral malaria. Statins may be worthy of consideration in clinical trials for treating cerebral malaria.
A research team has developed a new whole-plant strategy to combat malarial drug resistance, utilizing Artemisia annua and potentially reducing treatment costs. The approach shows promise in treating malaria with a higher chance of success than current modes, offering a locally grown and processed option for fighting the disease.
Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and UMass have developed a whole plant therapy using Artemisia annua, delivering 40 times more artemisinin to the blood than purified artemisinin. This could significantly lower the cost of treating malaria and expand access to antimalarial therapy.
Scientists at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute receive $16 million in funding to develop new methods for analyzing complex data sets and understand the adaptive immune response. The funding will support researchers in developing treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, malaria, and cancer.
The University of Maryland School of Medicine is launching a study on drug-resistant malaria in Myanmar, using new genetic markers to track the spread of artemisinin-resistant malaria. The researchers aim to develop tests to identify and monitor the disease, which has caused significant treatment failures in Southeast Asia.
Scientific Animations Without Borders (SAWBO) delivers narrated, animated videos to a global audience, addressing pressing issues like food waste, insect damage, and infectious diseases. The initiative has received feedback from its audience, allowing it to improve its message and expand its content.
Researchers have deciphered the mechanism of anophelin's interaction with thrombin, a key enzyme in blood coagulation. This discovery opens the door to designing new anticoagulant drugs with improved efficacy and reduced side effects, as well as fighting against malaria by developing inhibitors for this substance.
The study found a significant increase in the risk of developing eBL in young children with a distinct pattern of antibody responses to several different recombinant Pf malaria antigens. Antibodies to SE36, a vaccine candidate protein, were associated with a decreased risk of eBL.
Recent research revealed mosquitoes possess surprisingly effective immune systems, destroying pathogens by utilizing the circulatory system's unique characteristics. A Vanderbilt study discovered a new mechanism for eliminating pathogens, increasing effectiveness in disease control strategies.
A combination of anti-HIV drugs reduces malaria incidence among HIV-positive children by 40% compared to NNRTI treatment. High blood levels of anti-malarial drugs in children receiving protease inhibitors may explain their effectiveness.
A recent study found that male malaria parasites can adapt faster to their surroundings, making them harder to treat. Targeting the slower-reproducing female parasites could lead to more effective long-term treatments and prevent parasite breeding.
Researchers at Aarhus University have developed a new, simple and sensitive method to diagnose malaria infections using an enzyme-based technology called REEAD. This method can detect relatively low infection counts and also identifies resistant Plasmodium parasites, making it suitable for large-scale screening projects.
The NIH awards a five-year contract of up to $19.4 million to the Malaria Host-Pathogen Interaction Center (MaHPIC) at Emory University to study malaria parasite interactions with human and animal hosts. The project will integrate data from various research areas, including metabolomics, lipidomics, and mathematical modeling.
A recent study published in Cell Host & Microbe reveals that expression of H Ferritin gene reduces oxidative stress and prevents tissue damage by controlling iron accumulation. This protective mechanism provides a new approach to treating malaria by inducing tolerance to the disease, without targeting the parasite.
A study predicts that G6PD deficiency is widespread across malaria-endemic regions, affecting up to 350 million people. The deficiency poses a significant risk for severe complications when treated with primaquine, a key drug for malaria treatment.
A private-market approach to delivering malaria treatments has increased access to care and reduced the use of less effective treatments in Africa. The 'Coca-Cola' model, which uses shops and market stalls to distribute affordable medications, has been shown to broaden the availability of effective therapies.
Researchers at Radboud University Medical Center have developed an injectable formulation of malaria parasites that can achieve controlled infection in human volunteers. The breakthrough could make it easier to evaluate new drugs and vaccines, as well as potentially become a vaccine itself.
Kent Campbell, PATH's Malaria Control Program director, received the LePrince Medal for his work on controlling malaria in Africa. Through his leadership, more than one million child deaths have been prevented, and Zambia became the first country to achieve high coverage with malaria control tools.
The RTS,S malaria vaccine candidate has shown promising results, reducing clinical and severe malaria episodes by one-third in African infants. The vaccine demonstrated an acceptable safety and tolerability profile, with side effects primarily including local injection site reactions.
The AMFm programme has improved access to affordable ACTs in eight countries, with over 155 million doses subsidised between 2010 and 2011. Market share of artemisinin monotherapies decreased in several countries, and private sector QAACT prices fell by up to 80%.
Researchers have discovered a new potential treatment for malaria that rapidly kills the blood-borne Plasmodium parasites. The molecules identified can target all stages of the parasite's life cycle, offering hope for an effective cure within ten years.
Mosquitoes use alternative splicing to combine immunoglobulin domains into pathogen-binding proteins, increasing diversity and specificity. This mechanism could lead to new ways to prevent spread of mosquito-borne illnesses like malaria.
A new malaria drug has been developed that is twice as effective as existing treatments and may fight off the disease with a single dose. The new compound, combined with mefloquine, showed promising results in mice, allowing them to live almost twice as long.
Researchers mapped 14.8 million Kenyan mobile calls to track malaria spread and found a surprising link between travelers and infected residents in Nairobi. The study reveals the potential for using big data from mobile phones to inform malaria control efforts.
Researchers at Virginia Tech have identified a curious genetic trait in African mosquito species that transmits malaria, suggesting that this species is genetically linked to an older lineage. This discovery could lead to better understanding of the mosquito's capacity to transmit malaria and inform malaria control efforts.
Scientists have observed that chloroquine is once again effective in combating malaria parasites, particularly in Senegal and other African countries. This development could lead to more affordable treatment options for millions of people in Africa, with the current treatment costing twice as much as chloroquine.
A University of Washington bioengineer has developed a way to make regular paper stick to medically interesting molecules using a chemical trick. The new technique uses minimal equipment and can be used for any type of medical test, making it a potential cheap and easy solution for global health research.
A new malaria-transmitting mosquito species has been discovered in western Kenya by Notre Dame researchers. The mosquito breeds outdoors and bites people earlier in the evening, threatening current malaria control techniques.
Researchers have found malaria in birds in Alaska, predicting the disease's spread due to global warming. The northerly spread may devastate arctic bird species with no resistance.
Researchers at University of Montreal identified novel genes that make some children more efficient in fighting malaria infection. They used an innovative approach analyzing blood samples from West African children, revealing how the environment engages in an 'arms race' with genetic variation to define disease progression.
Researchers at the University of Nottingham found that individuals with high tryptophan levels experience fewer quinine side effects. The study suggests that dietary changes could potentially alleviate toxic effects of quinine treatment, improving its effectiveness and reducing risk of adverse reactions.
Researchers have developed a novel human liver-chimeric mouse model that enables the study of human malaria's lethal forms. The FRGTM KO mouse model will be used to study new drug interventions, parasite attenuation, and innate immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum liver stage infection.
Researchers have discovered that the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium vivax shares the same genetic variations despite being found on different continents. The sequencing of its genome could help understand how the parasite lives and causes malaria, and may lead to new treatments for drug-resistant strains.
Researchers found that benign malaria parasite P. vivax drives genome evolution in humans, challenging the long-held assumption that P. falciparum is the only malaria species to do so.
A multinational group of authors has found a strong association between Southeast Asian ovalocytosis and protection against malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax. The study suggests that P. vivax malaria may have contributed to shaping the unique host genetic adaptations in Asian and Oceanic populations.