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Path To A Zero Malaria World: A New Type Of Net Could Cut Risk Of The Mosquito-borne Disease By Half

A new kind of mosquito net delivered across sub-Saharan Africa averted an estimated 13 million malaria cases. It also prevented nearly 25,000 deaths over three years, the project's backers said last month.

There were 249 million recorded malaria cases and 608,000 deaths in 2022. This data from the World Health Organization shows that most of the burden is in Africa.

Nearly half a million children in the African region die every year from malaria. The disease is caused by a parasite carried by mosquitoes.

The world is facing one major challenge as it strives to drive down the stubbornly high numbers. There is a growing insecticide resistance seen in the mosquitoes that carry the disease.

In a bid to tackle that problem, the New Nets Project delivered 56 million dual-insecticide nets. This was done across 17 malaria-endemic countries between 2019 and 2022.

The initiative was funded by Unitaid and the Global Fund and led by the Innovative Vector Control Consortium.

Measles spreading at an alarming rate in many parts of Europe

The new nets were coated in a new generation pyrrole insecticide in combination with the standard pyrethroid insecticide. It was found that they did a far better job at malaria control.

Two clinical trials and five pilot studies were evaluated to determine the effectiveness of the new nets. Research showed that compared to standard nets, they improved malaria control by 20 to 50 per cent in countries reporting insecticide resistance in sub-Saharan Africa. The backers estimated the additional cost per case of malaria averted using the new nets was between US$0.66 (HK$5.16) and US$3.56 (HK$27.84).

The reduction in malaria cases and deaths attributed to the new nets also "equated to a potential US$28.9 million in financial savings to health systems", the statement said.

"The success of the New Nets Project is proof that, by fostering collaboration across global health partners, harnessing innovation, and using market-shaping approaches, we can fight insecticide resistance, make our interventions highly cost-effective and accelerate progress against malaria," Global Fund chief Peter Sands said in the statement.

Agence France-Press and Tribune News Agency

What is malaria and what causes it?

Malaria is caused by a single-celled parasite of the genus Plasmodium. The parasite is transmitted to humans, most commonly through mosquito bites (see graphic).

Parasites that cause malaria affect red blood cells. Hence, one can also be infected by exposure to infected blood. This includes from mother to unborn child, through blood transfusions and by sharing needles used to inject drugs.

Symptoms of malaria typically begin within a few weeks of being bitten by an infected mosquito. Some types of malaria parasites can lie dormant in your body for up to a year. Some people who have malaria experience cycles of malaria "attacks." An attack usually starts with shivering and chills, followed by a high fever. After that, there is a bout of sweating, and finally a return to normal temperature.

Signs and symptoms of malaria can include fever, chills, general feeling of discomfort, headache, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, muscle or joint pain, fatigue, rapid breathing, rapid heart rate and cough.

Malaria is treated with prescription drugs to kill the parasite. In 2021, the World Health Organization recommended the widespread use of a new malaria vaccine for children. The WHO director general called the long-awaited vaccine a "breakthrough for science, child health and malaria control". He also said that when combined with existing tools to prevent malaria, tens of thousands of children could be saved each year.

Uncovering The Secrets Of Malaria Parasite Cell Division

A team of scientists at the University of Nottingham, have uncovered how the parasite that causes malaria orchestrates their cell division – which is key in enabling the parasite to transmit this deadly disease.

In a new paper, published in PLOS Biology, a team of scientists at the university, along with collaborators across the globe, show how they have uncovered key regulators of how malaria parasites manage their cell division.

Malaria is a major public health issue in many developing parts of the world. It is transmitted by female mosquitoes which ingest the parasites when they bite. Malaria was responsible for approximately 608,000 deaths in 2022 (WHO) and is caused by a single-celled parasite termed Plasmodium, that invades the liver and red blood cells.

This new research is led by Professor Rita Tewari from the School of Life Sciences at the university and Professor Mathieu Brochet at the University of Geneva. It aims to unravel the atypical mode of multiplication of the malaria parasite with particular focus on the developmental stages of the parasite within the mosquito in the hope of finding new therapeutic targets.

Professor Tewari said: "It is clear by looking at COVID-19, that controlling the transmission of parasites is equally crucial in addition to controlling the disease. Hence, to have fundamental knowledge of how the parasite succeeds to divide within the mosquito and what switches it uses will help to design intervention targets.

"One of the unusual cell divisions is seen in male sex cell formation. Recently, Professor Tewari's team of researchers have focused on some proteins called kinases. Kinases are a family of proteins which contribute to the control of nearly all cellular processes and have already become major drug targets in the fight against cancer and other diseases. However, studies on these kinases and how they are involved in cell division in Plasmodium species are scarce."

The group have recently characterised two kinases: ARK2 and NEK1, which they have published details of how they contribute to parasite multiplication especially during transmission stages within mosquitoes.

Professor Tewari adds: "Kinases are the best drug targets and their role in parasite transmission is important to unravel. The two studies here are a step in that direction."

The previous study detailing more on this discovery can be found in Nature Communications.

The scientists involved in this study were Mohammad Zeeshan and Sarah Pashley from Professor's Tewari's lab at Nottingham. The First author on the paper Zeeshan said: "NEK1 is a functional protein that plays a crucial role in different stages of Plasmodium development. Our study reveals that the depletion of NEK1 protein from Plasmodium arrests its cell division and sexual development. This indicates that NEK1 could be a potential drug target, not only to stop the malaria disease but also its transmission."

The latest study in PLOS Biology can be found here. The previous study detailing more on this discovery can be found in Nature Communications.

Source:

Journal reference:

Zeeshan, M., et al. (2024). Plasmodium NEK1 coordinates MTOC organisation and kinetochore attachment during rapid mitosis in male gamete formation. PLoS Biology. Doi.Org/10.1371/journal.Pbio.3002802.

Scientists Take A Major Step In Understanding How To Stop The Transmission Of Malaria

A team of scientists at the University of Nottingham, have uncovered how the parasite that causes malaria orchestrates their cell division – which is key in enabling the parasite to transmit this deadly disease.

In a new paper, published in PLOS Biology, a team of scientists at the university, along with collaborators across the globe, show how they have uncovered key regulators of how malaria parasites manage their cell division.

Malaria is a major public health issue in many developing parts of the world. It is transmitted by female mosquitoes which ingest the parasites when they bite. Malaria was responsible for approximately 608,000 deaths in 2022 (WHO) and is caused by a single-celled parasite termed Plasmodium, that invades the liver and red blood cells.

This new research is led by Professor Rita Tewari from the School of Life Sciences at the university and Professor Mathieu Brochet at the University of Geneva. It aims to unravel the atypical mode of multiplication of the malaria parasite with particular focus on the developmental stages of the parasite within the mosquito in the hope of finding new therapeutic targets.

Professor Tewari said: "It is clear by looking at COVID-19, that controlling the transmission of parasites is equally crucial in addition to controlling the disease. Hence, to have fundamental knowledge of how the parasite succeeds to divide within the mosquito and what switches it uses will help to design intervention targets.

"One of the unusual cell divisions is seen in male sex cell formation. Recently, Professor Tewari's team of researchers have focused on some proteins called kinases. Kinases are a family of proteins which contribute to the control of nearly all cellular processes and have already become major drug targets in the fight against cancer and other diseases. However, studies on these kinases and how they are involved in cell division in Plasmodium species are scarce."

The group have recently characterised two kinases: ARK2 and NEK1, which they have published details of how they contribute to parasite multiplication especially during transmission stages within mosquitoes.

Professor Tewari adds: "Kinases are the best drug targets and their role in parasite transmission is important to unravel. The two studies here are a step in that direction."

The previous study detailing more on this discovery can be found in Nature Communications.

The scientists involved in this study were Mohammad Zeeshan and Sarah Pashley from Professor's Tewari's lab at Nottingham. The First author on the paper Zeeshan said: "NEK1 is a functional protein that plays a crucial role in different stages of Plasmodium development. Our study reveals that the depletion of NEK1 protein from Plasmodium arrests its cell division and sexual development. This indicates that NEK1 could be a potential drug target, not only to stop the malaria disease but also its transmission."

The latest study in PLOS Biology can be found here. The previous study detailing more on this discovery can be found in Nature Communications.

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Cells

Article Title

Plasmodium NEK1 coordinates MTOC organisation and kinetochore attachment during rapid mitosis in male gamete formation

Article Publication Date

10-Sep-2024

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