Research on malaria and the fight against it. Covers red-blood-cell inflammation, malaria resurgence, drug-resistant parasites, and mosquito-based control.
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 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 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 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.
Researchers have measured high levels of DDT in breast milk from nursing mothers in malaria-stricken villages in South Africa, far exceeding World Health Organization limits. The findings highlight the need to decrease exposure to DDT, which has been linked to various health issues, including cancer and impaired reproductive health.
Researchers credit adaptability and flexibility in Sri Lanka's malaria control program with its success in reducing cases by 99.9% since 1999. The program adapted to protect displaced populations and distributed long-lasting insecticide-treated nets, sustaining key prevention and surveillance activities.
Researchers have identified an enzyme responsible for forming the 'mating plug' in male Anopheles mosquitoes, which can be inhibited to prevent reproduction. The approach uses a chemical compound that targets this enzyme, making it a potential tool against malaria transmission.
A new video article in JoVE presents a novel technique to study interactions between HIV-1 and Plasmodium falciparum in cultured human cells. This method allows scientists to explore different parameters of co-infection, enabling better understanding of the cellular level interactions between these two deadly diseases.
A new study on malaria genomes reveals significant genetic diversity in Plasmodium vivax, a species of malaria that affects humans outside Africa, making it adept at evading drugs and vaccines. The research also sequenced the genome of Plasmodium cynomolgi, a close relative that infects Asian monkeys.
Researchers developed transgenic P. falciparum to study human antibody response to surface proteins. They found that antibodies targeting PfEMP1 mediate human immunity to malaria, with reduced risk of symptoms.
Researchers mapped the importance of enzyme shape and function in rhomboid proteases, finding four main regions important for maintaining shape and at least two regions crucial for function. The study's findings could lead to the development of drugs to treat malaria and other parasitic diseases.
Researchers at Penn State University found that immunization with a particular type of malaria vaccine can create conditions for the evolution of more severe disease-causing parasites. These parasites evolved in response to vaccination, but the exact mechanism is still unknown.
Researchers at UC San Diego identified a key enzyme in malaria parasites that could lead to new anti-malarial drugs. The team discovered a selective inhibitor, ML276, which stops parasite growth even in resistant strains.
Researchers at Shoklo Malaria Research Unit found a six-fold decline in maternal mortality from 499 to 79 amongst refugees between 1986 and 2010. Frequent antenatal screening significantly reduced malaria-related deaths, with the number falling from an estimated 1,000 deaths per 100,000 pregnant women before screening to zero in 2005.
Researchers from the Zoological Society of London identified the factors influencing the success of malaria parasites in New Zealand bird species, including two previously unknown strains. The study's findings provide insights into the traits that enable parasites to survive and thrive in new environments.
Researchers have developed genetically modified bacteria that can prevent mosquitoes from transmitting malaria by killing the parasite. The modified bacteria were found to be 98% effective in reducing the malaria parasite burden in mosquitoes, with an 84% decrease in mosquito prevalence.
The article emphasizes the need for sustainable integrated vector management strategies to address insecticide resistance and control malaria. Researchers argue that such approaches, inspired by agricultural practices, can provide more effective and durable pest management.
Researchers confirm indoor insecticide spraying reduces malaria deaths by 62% and finds DDT may be effective in areas with intense disease transmission. However, concerns over health risks must be weighed against its potential to reduce malaria illnesses and deaths.
A mathematical model has been proposed to study malaria transmission, focusing on the reproduction number and its dependence on human travel rates. The research highlights the critical role of human movement in spreading the disease, suggesting that effective control measures may involve more rigorous border screening and regulation.
Researchers developed a new method to extract parasite DNA from patient blood samples, allowing for rapid analysis of malaria genomes. The study found unique differences in malaria development between Africa, Asia, and Oceania, with potential hotspots of drug resistance identified.
Researchers at UCI have developed genetically modified mosquitoes that are unable to infect people with malaria. This breakthrough has significant implications for reducing the spread of the disease, which affects over 40% of the world's population and kills nearly 1 million people annually.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have identified the function of a series of proteins within the mosquito that transduce a signal to trigger an immune response against the malaria parasite. The study found that manipulating these proteins through genetic engineering can create a malaria-resistant mosquito.
A new approach, seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC), has been found to have significant public health benefits if implemented in high-risk areas. Researchers estimate that up to 11 million malaria cases and 50,000 deaths could be prevented annually with full implementation.
Sandeep Kishore has been recognized for his groundbreaking research on malaria parasites and his efforts to integrate basic sciences and public health perspectives in global health. He developed an open-source curriculum on neglected diseases, which has evolved into a longitudinal four-year program with full administrative support.
Researchers developed a technique to genetically differentiate Plasmodium falciparum parasites, linking infection with new parasites to the risk of clinical disease. This tool could help evaluate new prevention strategies and vaccines, as well as understand how anti-malarial treatments work.
Developing a new, two-step process could stabilize prices for the raw material essential for making malaria treatment drugs. The improved manufacturing method generates less waste and requires less artemisinin, potentially easing supply problems.
Researchers have shown that a new class of anti-inflammatory agents, called IDR peptides, could increase survival from severe clinical malaria when used in combination with antimalarial drugs. In mouse models infected with the Plasmodium berghei parasite, these treatments prevented inflammation and improved survival.
Researchers from Seattle BioMed, University of Copenhagen and University of Edinburgh report findings that could lead to new treatments for severe malaria. The studies identified specific parasite proteins associated with the disease, offering potential targets for drugs.
A National Institutes of Health study reveals that up to 42% of antimalarial drugs are either poor quality or fake, compromising treatment efficacy and spreading drug resistance. The research emphasizes the need for improved quality control measures and regulatory oversight to protect vulnerable populations.
Biologists at UC San Diego have engineered algae to produce potential candidates for a malaria vaccine. The use of algae can lead to a cheaper and more accessible vaccine, as it can be grown in ponds or bathtubs anywhere in the world.
Researchers have engineered algae to produce potential candidates for a vaccine that prevents malaria transmission. The use of algae to produce malaria proteins that elicited antibodies in laboratory mice and prevented transmission was published in PLoS ONE.
Researchers have found that nearly 4 out of 10 women at health facilities have a malaria infection, with an estimated 25 million pregnancies at risk each year. The new treatment combines anti-malarial and antibiotic therapy to prevent and treat these conditions simultaneously, which could save thousands of lives.
A systematic review found high prevalence rates of malaria and STIs/RTIs among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. The pooled prevalence estimates indicate that 32% of peripheral malaria and 25.8% placental malaria were present, while bacterial vaginosis affected 50.8% of the population.
Researchers have discovered a new class of malaria transmission-blocking compounds that work by inhibiting bumped kinase I, blocking the parasite's infectious stage. Genetic variation is also linked to high blood pressure, with researchers finding that inhibiting renin pathway activity can return blood pressure to normal levels.
A Cornell University scientist and designer from Africa have developed a fashionable hooded bodysuit embedded with insecticides to ward off mosquitoes infected with malaria. The garment, made with metal organic framework molecules, can provide extra protection throughout the day and last longer than traditional repellents.
Researchers developed a new class of compounds that block malaria transmission from humans to mosquitoes by inhibiting bumped kinase I. This approach represents a new strategy for controlling malaria spread. The study's preclinical data in mice suggests the inhibitors are safe and well-tolerated.