Research on malaria and the fight against it. Covers red-blood-cell inflammation, malaria resurgence, drug-resistant parasites, and mosquito-based control.
Researchers at Novartis have discovered a new class of dual-acting antimalarial compounds, the imidazolopiperazines (IZPs), which target both liver and blood infections. These compounds attack the Plasmodium parasite at both stages in its reproduction cycle, showing promise as a next-generation treatment for malaria.
A study found contrasting patterns of malaria drug resistance in human blood and mosquito midgut samples, with pyrimethamine-resistant parasites dominating human blood and cycloguanil-resistant mutants prevalent in mosquitoes.
Three artemisinin-based combination therapies were found to be highly effective in clearing the Plasmodium falciparum parasite in African children. DHAPQ was shown to have the longest post-treatment prophylaxis, making it a valid third option for treatment.
A new artemisinin-based treatment has been shown to be highly effective in treating uncomplicated malaria, particularly in regions with high re-infection risks. The study, which involved over 4,000 children in sub-Saharan Africa, found that the combination therapy had excellent efficacy and significantly reduced recurrent infections.
Research suggests climate change is increasing avian malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases in Hawaiian forests, threatening the survival of endemic bird species. Native birds have adapted to these changes by developing tolerance to malaria, allowing them to expand their ranges into previously inhospitable areas.
Researchers have discovered that malaria and other insect-borne diseases have existed for at least 100 million years, co-evolving with birds and monkeys. The study uses preserved insects in amber to reveal the evolution of these pathogens, making it difficult to conquer them.
A new research technology is screening human blood serum samples for immunity to malaria-causing Plasmodium falciparum parasite proteins. Researchers found that young children are more vulnerable to malaria due to limited immunity to various protein variants.
Researchers have found a new potential therapeutic approach to treat malaria by targeting parasite proteins in exosomes. In a mouse model of malaria infection, immunizing with rex containing parasite proteins resulted in full protection upon lethal infections in 85% of the animals.
Researchers at the University of South Florida have discovered that dormant malaria parasites in red blood cells can recover after antimalarial drug therapy, contributing to treatment failure. The study found a positive association between the number of dormant parasites and when malaria infection re-emerged.
The Phase III trial of RTS,S, a malaria vaccine candidate, demonstrates significant protection against clinical and severe malaria in African children aged 5 to 17 months. The results show the vaccine can provide young African children with significant protection against malaria, with an acceptable safety and tolerability profile.
A Phase III trial of RTS,S, a malaria vaccine candidate, has shown significant protection against clinical and severe malaria in young African children. The vaccine reduced the risk of malaria by 56% and 47% after three doses, with an acceptable safety and tolerability profile.
The Atlas of Malaria-Eliminating Countries highlights countries successfully moving toward eliminating the disease, providing a visual tool to help focus resources. Thirty-six countries are making rapid progress towards malaria elimination, with the atlas showing where pockets of transmission remain and how the disease is concentrated.
BioLynx Technologies Pte Ltd has launched a new biotech company to provide research tools targeting the international malaria research community. The company's LynxTag TM technology platform demonstrates biological activity similar to chloroquine, enabling researchers to visualize intracellular drug-cell interactions.
Scientists found that indoor spraying with bendiocarb dramatically reduced malaria transmission to near zero in Benin. The study's results provide reassurance that insecticides can still play a vital role in reducing the burden of malaria across Africa despite pyrethroid resistance.
Researchers at Michigan State University have created a new malaria vaccine that combines an immune-stimulating gene with a disabled cold virus, increasing the immune response against the parasite. The vaccine was found to be more effective than previously developed systems in animal models, paving the way for human clinical trials.
Researchers developed a whole-parasite malaria vaccine that produced strong immune responses in a clinical trial. The vaccine, the first of its kind to earn FDA approval, showed promise in preventing malaria by inducing high levels of protective immunity.
Researchers found that children with malaria are more susceptible to bacteraemia due to the infection itself, not a natural protection from the sickle cell gene. Malaria prevention strategies may also reduce invasive bacterial infections, with an estimated 50% of cases in endemic areas attributed to Plasmodium falciparum.
A recent study published in PLoS Medicine found that ownership of at least one insecticide-treated bed net reduces malaria infections and child deaths by 20% and 23%, respectively. The study analyzed data from 29 health surveys in 22 sub-Saharan African countries, providing strong evidence for the effectiveness of bed nets.
A multi-country analysis shows that ITN ownership reduces child malaria parasites by 20% and child deaths by 23%. The findings support the widespread provision of ITNs as a key intervention in controlling malaria.
Scientists at UCSF have identified a crucial chemical that the malaria parasite produces internally, allowing it to survive in human blood. This insight provides a powerful tool for discovering and designing new treatments.
Researchers at Stanford and UCSF have developed a novel method to grow large volumes of modified malaria parasites that no longer cause the disease, revealing how the parasite's survival depends on isopentenyl pyrophosphate. This breakthrough could speed up drug development and provide a basis for an effective vaccine against malaria.
A Danish research group has discovered a significant decline in malaria mosquito populations in certain Tanzanian villages without organized mosquito control. The researchers attribute the decrease to changes in precipitation patterns, which may be linked to global climate change.
Researchers have discovered how malaria parasites camouflage themselves from the immune system of pregnant women, allowing them to go undetected. This finding has significant implications for developing a vaccine to protect expectant mothers from maternal malaria.
Research in Senegal found growing resistance to a common insecticide class among mosquitoes, coupled with increased susceptibility of older children and adults, resulting in malaria resurgence. The study suggests that new strategies are urgently needed to mitigate the devastating effects of insecticide resistance on malaria control.
A new study reveals that female mosquitoes cannot detect the fertility status of their mates, making it difficult to control mosquito populations and prevent the spread of malaria. Researchers found that females will mate with both fertile and spermless males, leading to a loss of reproductive opportunities.
Scientists at UMass Chan Medical School discovered a novel DNA-sensing pathway that contributes to the triggering of an innate immune response in malaria. This pathway leads to the production of excessive type-1 interferon, causing inflammation and fever in patients.
Researchers identified 32 effective compounds against malaria parasites, including 10 new compounds and 7 that are more active than artemisinin at lower concentrations. The study suggests targeting the same three parasite genes simultaneously to disarm the parasite and provides leads for multi-drug regimens.
A novel DNA-sensing mechanism plays a role in the innate immune response to Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria. The study identifies an unknown receptor coupling to molecules linked with DNA-mediated type I interferon production, suggesting a broader impact on infectious diseases.
A study funded by the Wellcome Trust found that sending text message reminders to healthcare workers in rural Africa improved the implementation of national guidelines for treating malaria. The intervention resulted in a 25% improvement in health workers' practices, leading to more patients receiving accurate antimalarial treatment.
A six-month study in Kenya found that daily text-message reminders improved correct malaria treatment management by 23.7%, with significant effects on patient adherence to medication. The intervention is cheap and can be scaled up nationally, making it a promising low-cost strategy for improving health worker performance.
A team of biochemists at the University of Arizona discovered that disrupting a molecular process used by mosquitoes to direct proteins to their proper destinations causes more than 90 percent of affected mosquitoes to die within 48 hours of blood feeding. This approach could be used as an additional strategy in the worldwide effort to...
Researchers have discovered that malaria parasites employ camouflage to avoid detection by the immune system in pregnant women. This allows the parasite to infect the placenta, putting both the mother and unborn child at risk. The study provides insight into the complex ways in which malaria evades the human immune response.
A new study found that ivermectin dramatically reduces malaria transmission among people living in Senegalese villages. Ivermectin was administered as part of a campaign to fight onchocerciasis and appeared to kill malaria-carrying mosquitoes, resulting in a 79% decline in mosquitoes carrying Plasmodium falciparum.
A new Cochrane Systematic Review finds that Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) are highly accurate in detecting malaria parasites, with a success rate of at least 19 out of 20 cases. This development holds promise for improving diagnosis and treatment of malaria in resource-constrained settings.
A four-fold increase in global malaria R&D funding has generated the strongest pipeline of control and prevention products in history. However, sustaining this momentum requires modest increases in annual funding, which could lead to a larger jump by 2016.
A new study by University of Notre Dame researchers reveals that the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae exhibits daily rhythms in gene expression, with nearly 16% of its genome showing time-of-day specific changes. This discovery highlights potential targets for novel malarial control strategies and optimization of existing approaches.
Researchers from Monash University and international partners have developed a potential new malaria drug candidate targeting dihydroorotate dehydrogenase enzyme. The team's work has been hailed as significant in combating malaria, which kills up to one million people annually worldwide.
A new study reveals a powerful vaccination approach that targets the liver stage of malaria parasites, providing long-lasting and diverse immune cell responses. This strategy offers a promising model for developing effective next-generation vaccines.
A team of international scientists, led by University of Pennsylvania geneticists, have discovered genetic variations in humans that may help resist malaria. The research found that certain mutations in genes related to red blood cell proteins could be linked to lower malaria susceptibility.
A Scripps Research scientist has won a grant to study the malaria parasite in the liver, aiming to develop better drugs to combat the disease. The research will focus on understanding pathways essential to parasite development in both blood and liver stages.
NIH-funded researchers identified three types of odor molecules that disrupt mosquito carbon dioxide-sensing machinery. These findings could lead to the development of more effective repellents and lures to prevent mosquito-borne diseases.
A cluster randomized trial found that providing subsidized malaria drugs in shops more than doubled the proportion of children with fever treated promptly. However, this is still lower than the target to treat 80% of children with fever.
Scientists have solved the structure of a key malaria parasite protein that controls cell movement, overturning decades-long understanding. The discovery could lead to novel anti-malarial treatments and cancer therapies targeting actin proteins.
Researchers have discovered the genetic basis for a key parasite function in malaria, revealing that parasites create feeding ion channels in blood cells using two distinct genes. This finding opens up new research directions, including the development of antimalarial drugs targeting these channels.
A clinical trial of the malaria vaccine RTS,S has begun in Africa to assess its effectiveness when administered to newborn babies as part of national immunisation programmes. The study aims to improve the vaccine's performance by examining its impact at different stages between birth and nine months of age.
Researchers found Wolbachia bacteria can significantly reduce Plasmodium falciparum levels in Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes. The bacteria also killed mosquitoes after feeding on blood, potentially providing a strategy to control malaria.
A human genetic variant associated with a 30% reduced risk of developing severe malaria has been identified. The FAS locus variant can prevent excessive immune responses in infected children, reducing the severity of the disease.
Geographic profiling successfully located the sources of disease outbreaks in London and Cairo, revealing breeding habitats of mosquito Anopheles sergentii. This method shows great promise as a component of policy relating to control of various infectious diseases.
Researchers found that a pre-existing malaria infection restricts iron availability in the liver, preventing a second infection. This discovery has implications for managing and preventing malaria, which affects millions worldwide.
Scientists have identified a class of naturally occurring bacteria that can strongly inhibit malaria-causing parasites in Anopheles mosquitoes. The study found that Enterobacter inhibits parasite growth by producing short-lived molecules known as reactive oxygen species (ROS), reducing malaria infection by 98-99%.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have discovered a bacterium that kills the malaria parasite when present in mosquitoes. The Enterobacter bacterium produces reactive oxygen species, detrimental to Plasmodium development in the mosquito gut.
A new malaria detection device has been developed using a standard camera cellphone and red laser pointer to noninvasively obtain finger blood perfusion images. The probe uses optical polarization/speckle principles to detect malaria pigment in blood, maximizing medical safety and patient comfort.
Ionita Ghiran's novel device uses magnetic levitation and cell phone technology to diagnose malaria outside the laboratory setting. The device is inexpensive, portable, and requires only a drop of finger-prick blood, providing a solution to the lack of suitable methods for malaria diagnosis.
Researchers at Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia unravel the molecular mechanism of sickle cell trait's protective effect against malaria. Sickle hemoglobin induces heme oxygenase-1, which produces carbon monoxide to protect infected hosts from cerebral malaria.
A new immunological technique has shown that artificially induced malaria immunity can last for at least 2.5 years, significantly longer than naturally acquired immunity. The study found that immune volunteers who were re-infected with the same strain of malaria had a quicker and more effective response to infection.
Researchers have identified several genes that may contribute to the malaria parasite's ability to evade antimalarial drugs. One of these genes, PF10_0355, was found to render drug-sensitive parasites more resistant to three standard antimalarial agents when introduced into them.
Researchers introduce genetic changes into mosquito populations, paving the way for a genetically modified malaria-free mosquito species. The technology could lead to dramatic reductions in malaria-carrying mosquitoes and provide a safe public health tool.
Researchers have found that monkeys infected with an emerging malaria strain are providing a reservoir for human disease in Southeast Asia. The study confirms that the species has not yet adapted to humans and that monkeys are the main source of infection.
A new joint research centre between Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Innovative Vector Control Consortium and Saudi Ministry of Health will focus on cutting-edge research for vector-borne disease control. The centre aims to develop innovative ways to monitor and evaluate insect-borne diseases.
The Prix Galien awards recognize outstanding achievements in improving the global human condition through innovative drugs and treatments. The 2010 winners were announced as a special issue of Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, including Luminex Corporation for xTAG™ and Merck & Co, Inc. for RotaTeq™.