Drug-Resistant Malaria Parasite from Southeast Asia Could Spread to Africa

The World Health Organization statistics suggest that there were some 584,000 deaths from malaria in 2013, out of estimated 198 million infections, and 90% of the deaths took place in Africa. Drug-immune Plasmodium falciparum is the deadliest malaria parasite, and has evolved to resist the effects of artemisinin, the frontline malaria drug. This artemisinin-resistant malaria parasite has not yet been documented in Africa, but has been spreading rapidly through southeast Asia.

A new study has revealed that this drug-resistant malaria parasite from southeast Asia can infect African mosquitoes, the Anopheles coluzzii mosquito which is the main transmitter of the disease in Africa. This has boosted fears that the hard-to-cure variant of the disease could reach the world's most vulnerable continent.

A statement from the United States' National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which took part in the study, said, "The discovery suggests Africa -- where malaria will cause an estimated 400,000 deaths in 2015, is more at risk for drug-resistant malaria infections than previously thought. This, in turn, could further compromise efforts to prevent and eliminate the disease."

Scientists wanted to study whether the Plasmodium falciparum parasite could infect Africa's Anopheles coluzzii mosquito. They tried to infect a variety of mosquito species, including the African type, with resistant parasites from Cambodia, and it worked. The NIAID said, "The scientists also discovered a shared genetic background among artemisinin-resistant parasites that may enable them to infect diverse mosquito species by evading their immune systems. The ability of artemisinin-resistant parasites to infect such highly diverse Anopheles species may explain the rapid expansion of these parasites in Cambodia and neighboring countries, and further compromise efforts to prevent their global spread."

The study was published in Nature Communications.

Source: AFP

Malaria

Malaria is caused by a parasite that enters blood through the bite of an infected mosquito. It is characterized by fever, vomiting, shivering, sweating and other symptoms.

Combination of Interventions in Malaria Vector Control : Randomized Controlled Study

Combination of vector control interventions may equip us better in the light of emergence of resistant malaria.

New Herbal Remedy to Fight Malaria

Recent research has shown that the powdered dried leaves of Artemisia annua is much more effective in treating malaria than the purified form of the drug artemisinin.

Malaria Vaccine Reaching New Heights in Africa

Clinical trials held for malaria vaccine recently have revealed that it is capable of protecting infants in Africa against malaria.

Babesiosis

Babesiosis is an infection caused by transmission of Babesia parasites from animals to humans. It may be diagnosed with blood smears, immunological tests and treated with drugs or blood transfusions.

Fever

Fever or Pyrexia is an elevation in normal body temperature. Causes of fever include infections, injury, cancers, inflammation, hormonal, metabolic and genetic diseases.

Malaria - Protection Strategies

Malaria is a dangerous disease with lethal consequences that requires protective measures for prevention and control of malaria in endemic regions of the world.

Mosquito Diseases

Mosquito-borne diseases, like malaria, filaria, dengue, etc are common in places conducive of mosquito breeding. Swamps, ponds and stagnated drainage provide optimal breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Tapeworm Infections

Tapeworms are a group of parasites that depend on humans for growth and cause intestinal infection in them. Tapeworm symptoms and signs include stomach pain, loss of appetite, weight loss.