ScienceDaily: Malaria News

Research aims for insecticide that targets malaria mosquitoes

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:35:35 EDT

A team of scientists is working toward an insecticide that would target malaria-carrying mosquitoes but do no harm to other organisms.

New malaria test kit gives a boost to elimination efforts worldwide

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:27:27 EDT

A new, highly sensitive blood test that quickly detects even the lowest levels of malaria parasites in the body could make a dramatic difference in efforts to tackle the disease.

Malaria infected mosquitoes more attracted to human odor than uninfected mosquitoes

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:44:44 EDT

Female mosquitoes infected with malaria parasites are significantly more attracted to human odor than uninfected mosquitoes, according to new research. Scientists will now attempt to find out how malaria parasites manipulate their mosquito hosts.

No idle chatter: Malaria parasites 'talk' to each other

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:50:50 EDT

Scientists have made the surprise discovery that malaria parasites can 'talk' to each other -- a social behavior to ensure the parasite's survival and improve its chances of being transmitted to other humans. The finding could provide a niche for developing antimalarial drugs and vaccines that prevent or treat the disease by cutting these communication networks.

Global warming trends contribute to spread of West Nile virus to new regions in Europe

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:52:52 EDT

Global warming trends have a significant influence on the spread of West Nile Virus to new regions in Europe and neighboring countries, where the disease wasn’t present before, according to a new study. The study found that rising temperatures have a more considerable contribution than humidity, to the spread of the disease, while the effect of rain was inconclusive.

Using bacteria to stop malaria

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:21:21 EDT

Mosquitoes are deadly efficient disease transmitters. New research however, demonstrates that they also can be part of the solution for preventing diseases such as malaria.

Bacterial infection in mosquitoes renders them immune to malaria parasites

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Scientists have established an inheritable bacterial infection in malaria-transmitting Anopheles mosquitoes that renders them immune to malaria parasites. Specifically, the scientists infected the mosquitoes with Wolbachia, a bacterium common among insects that previously has been shown to prevent malaria-inducing Plasmodium parasites from developing in Anopheles mosquitoes.

Toxic waste sites cause 'healthy years of life lost' for people living in India, Philippines and Indonesia

Sat, 04 May 2013 16:31:31 EDT

Toxic waste sites with elevated levels of lead and chromium cause a high number of “healthy years of life lost” in individuals living near 373 sites located in India, Philippines and Indonesia, according to a new study.

Flight behavior of hungry malaria mosquitoes analyzed

Fri, 03 May 2013 10:51:51 EDT

Malaria mosquitoes go to work cautiously before landing on human skin and biting. Just before a mosquito lands, it reacts to both odors and heat given off by the human body. Researchers came to this conclusion after studying images made with infrared-sensitive cameras.

Malaria: A vector infecting both apes and humans

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:47:47 EDT

In 2010, a study revealed that the main agent of malaria in humans, called Plasmodium falciparum, arose from the gorilla. Today, the vector which transmitted the parasite from apes to humans has just been identified. Scientists have determined which species of anopheles mosquitoes transfer the disease to apes. Among them is Anopheles moucheti, known for biting humans. Therefore, it appears to be the species which originally infected us through our 'cousins'. And it could do it again today.

Warning system predicts outbreaks of dengue fever

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 09:50:50 EDT

With the help of a warning system which measures the risk of dengue incidence using precipitation and air temperature, it is possible to forecast the outbreak of dengue fever up to 16 weeks in advance.

Dogma among researchers exaggerates threat of resistance to best anti-malarial drugs, says malaria expert

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:24:24 EDT

Exaggeration over the extent of the malaria parasite’s resistance to the ‘wonder drugs’ artemisinins could jeopardise the fight against the disease, according to a leading expert.

Malaria parasite protein identified as potential new target for drug treatment

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:13:13 EDT

Scientists have discovered how a protein within the malaria parasite is essential to its survival as it develops inside a mosquito. They believe their findings identify this protein as a potential new target for drug treatments to prevent malaria being passed to humans. The researchers found that when this protein – a transporter responsible for controlling the level of calcium inside cells – is absent during the parasite’s sexual reproduction stages inside a mosquito, the parasite dies before developing fully.

Quest for edible malarial vaccine leads to other potential medical uses for algae

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:26:26 EDT

Can scientists rid malaria from the Third World by simply feeding algae genetically engineered with a vaccine? That's the question biologists sought to answer after they demonstrated last May that algae can be engineered to produce a vaccine that blocks malaria transmission. In a follow up study, they got their answer: Not yet, although the same method may work as a vaccine against a wide variety of viral and bacterial infections.

Discovery points to new approach to fight dengue virus

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:49:49 EDT

Researchers have discovered that rising temperature induces key changes in the dengue virus when it enters its human host, and the findings represent a new approach for designing vaccines against the aggressive mosquito-borne pathogen.

Launch of semi-synthetic artemisinin a milestone for malaria, synthetic biology

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:56:56 EDT

The best therapy today for malaria is a drug combination that includes a derivative of artemisinin, now solely available from plants grown in Asia and Africa. On Apr. 11, the first semi-synthetic version of artemisinin will be made available.

Fighting disease from within the mosquito: New techniques to help halt the spread of disease

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:39:39 EDT

Scientists have revealed a new technique to introduce disease-blocking bacteria into mosquitoes, with promising results that may halt the spread of diseases such as dengue, yellow fever and potentially malaria.

Currently used drugs found active in laboratory mice against bioterror threats

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:57:57 EDT

In the most extensive screen of its kind, scientists have demonstrated the feasibility of repurposing already-approved drugs for use against highly pathogenic bacteria and viruses. The pathogens included emerging diseases and potential bioterror threats ranging from anthrax to the Marburg and Ebola viruses.

Plant proteins control chronic disease in Toxoplasma infections

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:29:29 EDT

A new discovery about the malaria-related parasite Toxoplasma gondii -- which can threaten babies, AIDS patients, the elderly and others with weakened immune systems -- may help solve the mystery of how this single-celled parasite establishes life-long infections in people. The study places the blame squarely on a family of plant proteins, known as AP2 factors.

Newly discovered blood protein solves 60-year-old riddle

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:28:28 EDT

Researchers have discovered a new protein that controls the presence of the Vel blood group antigen on our red blood cells. The discovery makes it possible to use simple DNA testing to find blood donors for patients who lack the Vel antigen and need a blood transfusion.

Cancer drugs an unexpected ally in the battle against malaria

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 09:08:08 EDT

Scientists tested the efficacy of cancer drugs at killing the malaria parasite during the liver phase with astonishing success. This research paves the way for future studies using cancer drugs that could cause less drug resistance and have more targeted treatments than conventional malaria drugs.

Mosquito genetic complexity may take a bite out of efforts to control malaria

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 10:07:07 EDT

New research documents how the genetic structure of African malaria mosquitoes is evolving, which could lead to implications for controlling malaria.

Novel method accurately predicts disease outbreaks

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:52:52 EDT

Scientists have developed a novel method to accurately predict dengue fever outbreaks several weeks before they occur.

Researchers alter mosquito genome with goal of controlling disease

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:48:48 EDT

With a technique called TALENS, scientists used a pair of engineered proteins to disrupt a targeted gene in the mosquito genome, changing the eye color of ensuing generations of the insect. The method might help scientists find ways control disease transmission.

Follow-up study describes declining efficacy of malaria vaccine candidate over 4 years

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:28:28 EDT

Long-term follow-up of a phase II study from researchers in Kenya shows that the efficacy of a malaria vaccine candidate, RTS,S, wanes over time and varies with exposure to the malaria parasite.

Discovery of new drug to combat malaria

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:27:27 EDT

A new project has yielded a promising new antimalarial drug with the potential to cure the mosquito-borne disease and block its transmission with low doses.

Net advantage: Study finds use of bed nets by 75 percent of population could eradicate malaria

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 16:16:16 EST

Malaria, the leading cause of death among children in Africa, could be eliminated if three-fourths of the population used insecticide-treated bed nets, according to a new study.

Early warning system provides four-month forecast of malaria epidemics in northwest india

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 15:48:48 EST

Sea surface temperatures in the tropical South Atlantic Ocean can be used to accurately forecast, by up to four months, malaria epidemics thousands of miles away in northwestern India, theoretical ecologists have found.

Pour, shake and stir: How gold particles, DNA and water have the potential to shape the future of medicine

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:15:15 EST

A diagnostic "cocktail" containing a single drop of blood, a dribble of water, and a dose of DNA powder with gold particles could mean rapid diagnosis and treatment of the world's leading diseases in the near future.

New method for researching understudied malaria-spreading mosquitoes

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:54:54 EST

Researchers have developed a new method for studying the complex molecular workings of Anopheles albimanus, an important but less studied spreader of human malaria.

Kala-azar treatment failing in Nepal

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 10:33:33 EST

In a recent study, scientists have concluded that the cure rates of Miltefosine, the only oral drug for visceral leishmaniasis available, have significantly decreased. Miltefosine was introduced in the Indian subcontinent a decade ago. Despite adhering to the treatment, only 3 out of 4 patients treated with Miltefosine in Nepal today are being cured.

New clues to Epstein-Barr virus

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:27:27 EST

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) affects more than 90 percent of the population worldwide and was the first human virus found to be associated with cancer. Now, researchers have broadened the understanding of this widespread infection with their discovery of a second B-cell attachment receptor for EBV.

Eliminating malaria has longlasting benefits for many countries

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:38:38 EST

A review of malaria elimination suggests stopping malaria transmission completely has longlasting benefits for many countries and that once eliminated, the disease is unlikely to reemerge over time.

Malaria can be defeated without a globally led eradication program, experts say

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:37:37 EST

Malaria does not have to be eradicated globally for individual countries to succeed at maintaining elimination of the disease, according to new research.

New approach alters malaria maps

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:12:12 EST

Identifying areas of malarial infection risk depends more on daily temperature variation than on the average monthly temperatures, according to researchers, who believe that their results may also apply to environmentally temperature-dependent organisms other than the malaria parasite.

Has the 'Golden Age' of global health funding come to an end?

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 16:22:22 EST

Despite dire predictions in the wake of the economic crisis, donations to health projects in developing countries appear to be holding steady. After reaching a historic high of $28.2 billion in 2010, development assistance for health dropped in 2011.

Placental blood flow can influence malaria during pregnancy

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:06:06 EST

Malaria in pregnancy causes a range of adverse effects, including abortions and stillbirths. Researchers have observed, for the first time, the mouse placental circulation and showed how it can influence the malaria parasite behavior and infection. Their results indicate a higher accumulation of parasites in placental regions with low blood flow, being these areas more prone to an inflammatory response.

Parasites and poor antenatal care are main causes of epilepsy in Africa

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:46:46 EST

The largest study of epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa to date reveals that programs to control parasitic diseases and access to better antenatal care could substantially reduce the prevalence of the disease in this region.

Trapping malaria parasites inside host blood cell forms basis for new class of drugs

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:29:29 EST

One of the most insidious ways that parasitic diseases such as malaria and toxoplasmosis wreak their havoc is by hijacking their host's natural cellular processes, turning self against self.

Malaria, typhoid -- not Ebola -- biggest health threat for travelers to tropics

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:53:53 EST

Feeling feverish after a visit to the tropics? It may not just be a bout with this year's flu. If you're a Western traveler, malaria and typhoid fever should top the list of diseases to discuss with your doctor when you return, especially following travel to Western Africa or India.

Itchiness explained: Specific set of nerve cells signal itch but not pain, researchers find

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 10:45:45 EST

Researchers have uncovered strong evidence that mice have a specific set of nerve cells that signal itch but not pain, a finding that may settle a decades-long debate about these sensations, and, if confirmed in humans, help in developing treatments for chronic itch, including itch caused by life-saving medications.

Cholesterol drug shows promise in fighting effects of malaria

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 17:30:30 EST

Researchers have discovered that adding lovastatin, a widely used cholesterol-lowering drug, to traditional antimalarial treatment decreases neuroinflammation and protects against cognitive impairment in a mouse model of cerebral malaria.

New class of malaria drugs using essential calcium enzyme developed

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 14:29:29 EST

Calpain, a calcium-regulated enzyme, is essential to a host of cellular processes, but can cause severe problems in its overactivated state, and has been implicated in several diseases. Researchers have developed a unique approach to calpain inhibition by mimicking a natural reaction with a synthesized molecule.

Mimicking a natural defense against malaria to develop new treatments

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 13:02:02 EST

One of the world's most devastating diseases is malaria, responsible for at least a million deaths annually, despite global efforts to combat it. Researchers have identified a protein in human blood platelets that points to a powerful new weapon against the disease.

Study turns parasite invasion theory on its head

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 15:26:26 EST

Current thinking on how the Toxoplasma gondii parasite invades its host is incorrect, according to a new study describing a new technique to knock out genes. The findings could have implications for other parasites from the same family, including malaria, and suggest that drugs that are currently being developed to block this invasion pathway may be unsuccessful.

Chinese medicine yields secrets: Atomic mechanism of two-headed molecule derived from Chang Shan, a traditional chinese herb

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 15:24:24 EST

The mysterious inner workings of Chang Shan -- a Chinese herbal medicine used for thousands of years to treat fevers associated with malaria -- have been uncovered thanks to a high-resolution structure solved by scientists.

To outsmart malarial drug resistance, research team develops new whole-plant strategy

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 17:16:16 EST

Malaria kills millions each year and gives medical researchers headaches because the mosquito-borne parasite that causes its deadliest form has developed resistance to every drug thrown at it. Now a molecular parasitologist reports a promising new low-cost therapy to outwit that resistance.

Chances seen rising for chikungunya outbreaks in NYC, Atlanta, Miami

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 15:27:27 EST

Global travel and climate warming could be creating the right conditions for outbreaks of a new virus in this country, according to a new computer model that predicts outbreaks of chikungunya, a painful virus transported by travelers and spread by the invasive Asian tiger mosquito, could occur in 2013 in New York City during August and September, in Atlanta from June through September, and year-round in Miami.

Algal ancestor is key to how deadly pathogens proliferate, researchers find

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:32:32 EST

Long ago, when life on our planet was in its infancy, a group of small single-celled algae floating in the vast prehistoric ocean swam freely by beating whip-like tails, called flagella. The organisms are called Apicomplexa, but are better known as the parasites that cause malaria and toxoplasmosis. Now, researchers have discovered how an important structure inside these parasitic cells, which evolved from the algal ancestor millions of years ago, allows the cells to replicate and spread inside their hosts. Their research may lead to new therapies to halt these deadly pathogens before they cause disease.

New anticoagulant discovered based on the same used by malaria vectors to feed on

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 11:31:31 EST

An international project has, for the first time ever, deciphered the mechanism by which a substance called anophelin binds to an enzyme (thrombin) involved in the process of blood coagulation. This discovery opens the door to designing a new generation of anticoagulant drugs with a totally different functioning to current ones and also to fighting against the spreading of malaria by designing inhibitors for this substance.

Malaria parasite's 'masquerade ball' could come to an end

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 08:20:20 EST

More than a million people die each year of malaria caused by different strains of the Plasmodiumparasite transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito. The medical world has yet to find an effective vaccine against the deadly parasite, which mainly affects pregnant women and children under the age of five. By figuring out how the most dangerous strain evades the watchful eye of the immune system, researchers have now paved the way for the development of new approaches to cure this acute infection.

New insights into mosquitoes' role as involuntary bioterrorists

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 17:37:37 EST

Biologists have discovered mosquitoes possess a previously unknown mechanism for destroying pathogens that takes advantage of the peculiarities of the insect’s circulatory system to increase its effectiveness.

HIV treatment reduces risk of malaria recurrence in children

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:29:29 EST

A combination of anti-HIV drugs has been found to also reduce the risk of recurrent malaria by nearly half among HIV-positive children, according to researchers.

Malaria study suggests drugs should target female parasites

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 09:39:39 EST

Fresh insight into the parasite that causes malaria suggests a new way to develop drugs and vaccines to tackle the disease.

New method for diagnosing malaria

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 10:15:15 EST

Danish researchers have developed a new and sensitive method that makes it possible to diagnose malaria from a single drop of blood or saliva. The method might eventually be used in low-resource areas without the need for specially trained personnel, expensive equipment, clean water or electricity. With the development of this method, the researchers hope to go one step further in identifying and treating all patients suffering from malaria.

Tolerance to malaria by means of iron control

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:40:40 EST

Malaria is a life-threatening condition that exposes approximately half of the world’s population to the risk of developing a severe and often lethal form of disease. Researchers have discovered that the development of severe forms of malaria can be prevented by a simple mechanism that controls the accumulation of iron in tissues of the infected host.

Common enzyme deficiency may hinder plans to eradicate malaria

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 17:49:49 EST

In malaria-endemic countries, 350 million people are predicted to be deficient in an enzyme that means they can suffer severe complications from taking primaquine, a key drug for treating relapsing malaria, according to a new study.

Injectable formulation of malaria parasites achieve controlled infection

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 16:15:15 EST

In a breakthrough that could accelerate malaria vaccine and drug development, scientists just announced that, for the first time ever, human volunteers were infected with malaria via a simple injection of cryopreserved sterile parasites that were harvested from the salivary glands of infected mosquitoes in compliance with regulatory standards. The parasites had been frozen in a vial for more than two years.

Baiting mosquitoes with knowledge and proven insecticides

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:46:46 EST

While one team of scientists is testing the effectiveness of pesticides against mosquitoes, another research group is studying new ways to repel mosquitoes.

'Coca-Cola' model for delivering malaria meds is a success, should be continued, say public health experts

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 12:22:22 EST

A private-market approach to bringing affordable malaria treatments to people in Africa has increased access to care.