Experts from Berlin to Study Prevalence of Malaria and its Risk Factors in Mangalore

It will focus at the risk factors for prevalence of malaria in the Indian city and also whether genetic factors make people susceptible to malaria.

The prevalence of malaria is on rise in Mangalore, in the state of Karnataka, India. A University in Germany in association with Government Wenlock Hospital and the Karnataka Institute of DNA Research will commence a research to find out the causes for rise in malaria and risk factors involved in increase in malaria cases.

In 2014, as many as 17 persons, who had contracted malaria, died in the Government Wenlock Hospital.

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UT Khader, Health and Family Welfare Minister said, “A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed between the Institute of Tropical Medicine of the Charite University, Berlin, the Government Wenlock Hospital, the Kasturba Medical College and the Karnataka Institute for DNA Research, Dharwad, to conduct the research, which will be for five months.”

The study is expected to throw light on the causes for rise in number of malaria cases in the city.

Frank P. Mockenhaupt, the Deputy Director of Research Group (Malaria and Infectious Diseases Epidermology) of the Charite University, will head the research team.

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The parasite Plasmodium digests hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in the blood and converts it into hemozoin, a protein indispensable for its survival.

Mockenhaupt, said, “ The study will look at the risk factors for prevalence of malaria in Mangalore. It will also examine if genetic factors make people susceptible to the disease.”

Mockenhaupt will be assisted by a research scholar, Prabhanjan Gai and Konrad Seigert, a medical student.

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Source-Medindia

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