Malaria

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite called Plasmodium. When infected mosquitoes bite the human body, the parasites multiply in the liver and then infect red blood cells. Even though this potentially fatal disease can be prevented and cured, each year 350-500 million cases of malaria still occur worldwide, and over one million people die.

The Effect of Climate Change on Malaria

In commemoration of World Malaria Day, 2021, we look at the relationship between malaria transmission and climate change.

What is Malaria?

Malaria Causes

World Malaria Day 2021: An interview with Sir Brian Greenwood

Malaria Mechanism

Malaria Diagnosis

Malaria Prevention

World Malaria Day 2021: Finding new approaches to fight malaria

Malaria Treatment

Malaria Epidemiology

Malaria History

Fighting malaria in 2021: Where are we now and where are we going?

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Malaria Society And Culture

Malaria Symptoms

Malaria: A Force Shaping Blood Cell Evolution?

What is Cerebral Malaria?

Driving the Self-Destruction of Malaria-Transmitting Mosquitos

The Science Behind Why Mosquitoes Prefer to Bite Certain People

Latest Malaria News and Research

How insecticide resistance in household pests fuels malaria resurgence

For decades, insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor insecticide spraying regimens have been important – and widely successful – treatments against mosquitoes that transmit malaria, a dangerous global disease. Yet these treatments also – for a time – suppressed undesirable household insects like bed bugs, cockroaches and flies.

23 Jul 2024

Breakthrough malaria vaccines RTS,S and R21 poised to save thousands of lives

Research paper reviews the efficacy of the first licensed malaria vaccines, RTS,S and R21, highlighting their potential to significantly reduce childhood mortality and discussing future vaccine development strategies.

21 Jul 2024

Extreme heat alert: Understanding the impact of heatwaves on public health

According to a joint heat-health warning issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Met Office, parts of the UK are forecast to experience heatwave conditions as temperatures rise over the next few days in July.

19 Jul 2024

Urgent strategies needed to fight artemisinin resistance in East Africa

Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) have become the cornerstone of malaria treatment and control.

19 Jul 2024

Poll: Majority of Brits fear cancer diagnosis more than any other condition

Two-thirds of the public say they are very or somewhat worried about being told they have the disease – higher than for any other medical condition, including dementia and having a heart attack – according to polling released today.

14 Jul 2024

How Aloe vera's medicinal properties make it essential in medicine, cosmetics, and food products

Comprehensive review highlights Aloe vera's versatile biological activities and its potential applications in medicine and cosmetics while addressing its safety concerns.

11 Jul 2024

SRI’s novel injectable formulation aims to provide a better option to fight malaria

SRI today announced that researchers are developing a new treatment that aims to provide a better option to fight malaria, particularly for people in low-income and rural regions.

2 Jul 2024

CRISPR-based genetic technique eradicates malaria mosquitoes with over 99% efficiency

Scientists at the University of California have developed a precision-guided sterile insect technique to eliminate Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes, achieving over 99.5% male sterility and 99.9% female lethality, effectively suppressing malaria transmission.

26 Jun 2024

Genetic variation in people of African ancestry linked to increased risk of diabetes complications

A genetic variation common in people of African ancestry is associated with an increased risk of complications from diabetes, including diabetic retinopathy, according to a report published June 25 in the journal Nature Medicine.

25 Jun 2024

Brazilian researchers identify possible biomarkers associated with recurrence of vivax malaria

The most common type of malaria in Brazil is caused by the parasite Plasmodium vivax. Although vivax malaria is milder than the variant caused by P. falciparum, the ability of P. vivax to produce dormant forms in the host's liver that can be reactivated months after the end of treatment makes it very hard to control.

24 Jun 2024

Artemisinins: A new hope for women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Plant-derived compounds best known for their antimalarial properties relieve polycystic ovary syndrome, a major public health problem that affects millions of women worldwide.

13 Jun 2024

AI revolutionizes malaria diagnosis with 97.57% accuracy using EfficientNet

AI tool that uses deep learning to examine red blood cell images in blood smears for the timely detection of malaria.

12 Jun 2024

WHO and FIND join forces to accelerate diagnostic innovation and access

FIND and the World Health Organization (WHO) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that lays the foundation for accelerating innovation and achieving equitable access to quality diagnostics for people globally.

8 Jun 2024

Using AI to revolutionize mosquito surveillance to help combat malaria in Africa

University of South Florida researchers are using artificial intelligence to revolutionize mosquito surveillance to help combat malaria in Africa.

8 Jun 2024

New frontiers in medicine: COVID-19 lessons push for multidisciplinary collaboration

Researchers highlight the need for multidisciplinary collaboration in medicine, especially in addressing transmissible illnesses, precision medicine, and data science, as learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.

28 May 2024

Mediterranean diet cuts environmental impact and improves metabolic health, study finds

Researchers found that a Mediterranean diet with reduced energy intake significantly reduced environmental impacts, such as acidification, eutrophication, and land use, in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Caloric reduction and diet adherence were key factors mediating these benefits.

27 May 2024

UNICEF delivers first R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine doses to Central African Republic

UNICEF delivered over 43,000 doses of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine by air to Bangui, Central African Republic, today, with more than 120,000 doses to follow in the next days.

25 May 2024

SMART researchers identify key mechanism behind artemisinin resistance in malaria

Researchers from the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) at Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT's research enterprise in Singapore, in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), have discovered a link between malaria parasites' ability to develop resistance to antimalarial drugs – specifically artemisinin (ART) – through a cellular process called transfer Ribonucleic acid (tRNA) modification.

16 May 2024

Climate change threatens health in Europe: Urgent action needed to protect vulnerable populations

A recent report in The Lancet Public Health details how climate change affects human health in Europe through 42 indicators, emphasizing the urgency of climate action to protect vulnerable populations and address health inequalities. The report highlights the significant health risks and the need for equitable interventions.

14 May 2024

African regions at risk for malaria transmission may decline more than previously expected

Areas at risk for malaria transmission in Africa may decline more than previously expected because of climate change in the 21st century, suggests an ensemble of environmental and hydrologic models.

9 May 2024