Honduras is a tropical country with more than 70% of its population living at risk of being infected with either Plasmodium vivax or Plasmodium falciparum. Laboratory diagnosis is a very important factor for adequate treatment and management of malaria. In Honduras, malaria is diagnosed by both, microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests and to date, no molecular methods have been implemented for … [Read more...]
Can Slide Positivity Rates Predict Malaria Transmission?
Malaria is a significant threat to population health in the border areas of Yunnan Province, China. How to accurately measure malaria transmission is an important issue. This study aimed to examine the role of slide positivity rates (SPR) in malaria transmission in Mengla County, Yunnan Province, China. … [Read more...]
World Malaria Day 2012
"Sustain Gains, Save Lives: Invest in Malaria." World Malaria Day was established in May 2007 by the 60th session of the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO). The day was established to provide education and understanding of malaria and disseminate information on malaria-control strategies, including community-based activities for malaria … [Read more...]
New Optical Technique for Rapid Malaria Diagnosis
Correctly and quickly diagnosing malaria is essential for effective and life-saving treatment. But rapid detection, particularly in remote areas, is not always possible because current methods are time-consuming and require precise instrumentation and highly skilled microscopic analysis. Now, a promising new optical imaging system, described in a paper published today in the Optical Society's … [Read more...]
Drug-Resistant Malaria Threatens Effort to Control Disease
A team of researchers from the United States and Thailand says the growing number of cases of drug-resistant malaria being reported in Thailand and neighboring countries threatens the worldwide campaign to control and eliminate the mosquito-borne disease. The malaria parasite in the region is becoming resistant to the first-line malaria therapy - artemisinin combination treatment - and experts say … [Read more...]
Resistance to Malaria Treatments Seriously Compromises Efforts to Eliminate Malaria
Scientists have found new evidence that resistance to the front-line treatments for malaria is increasing.They have confirmed that resistant strains of the malaria parasite on the border between Thailand and Burma, 500 miles (800km) away from previous sites.Researchers say that the rise of resistance means the effort to eliminate malaria is "seriously compromised".The details have been … [Read more...]
GM Mosquito Factory: Can Oxitec Mosquitoes Help Stamp Out Malaria?
In plastic and glass containers thousands of mosquitoes are hatching in a British "mosquito factory." On strips of brown paper there are hundreds of thousands of little black mosquito eggs. "Here we practice birth control for mosquitoes," says Hadyn Parry, CEO of Oxitec, a British bio-research company that makes genetically modified mosquito eggs. The eggs produce sterile male mosquitoes, … [Read more...]
Treatment Outcome of Intravenous Artesunate in Patients with Severe Malaria in the Netherlands and Belgium
Intravenous (IV) artesunate is the treatment of choice for severe malaria. In Europe, however, no GMP-manufactured product is available and treatment data in European travellers are scarce. Fortunately, artesunate became available in the Netherlands and Belgium through a named patient programme. This is the largest case series of artesunate treated patients with severe malaria in Europe. … [Read more...]
Intermittent Preventive Treatment for Malaria in Papua New Guinean Infants Exposed to Plasmodium falciparum and P. Vivax
Intermittent preventive treatment in infants (IPTi) has been shown in randomized trials to reduce malaria-related morbidity in African infants living in areas of high Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) transmission. It remains unclear whether IPTi is an appropriate prevention strategy in non-African settings or those co-endemic for P. vivax (Pv). Methods and Findings In this study, 1,121 Papua New … [Read more...]
Breeding Site Characterization of Anopheles Sinensis Larvae in Chinese Villages
Characterizing the breeding site of Anopheles sinensis is of major importance for the transition from malaria control to elimination in China. However, little information is available especially regarding the characteristics and influencing factors of breeding sites of An. sinensis in Yongcheng City, a representative region of unstable malaria transmission in the Huang-Huai River region of central … [Read more...]