In my previous comments on www.malariaworld.org I alerted to the possibility that the widespread malaria infections in sub-Saharan Africa might provide a protection against the Covid virus. Trying to find an explanation for this observation might be important.
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Malaria Minute, 15 May 2020
Antibody tests for P. vivax malaria could reduce disease prevalence by up to 69% and scientists develop a sex-distorter gene drive that eliminates populations of mosquitoes in the lab.
Malaria Minute, 8 May 2020
Scientists find that microsporidia MB stops malaria transmission in Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes by disrupting oocyst formation.
Report of the Strategic Advisory Group on Malaria Eradication
After a 3-year study of trends and future projects, WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group on Malaria Eradication has released a detailed report of its key findings and recommendations. The report builds on an executive summary published in August 2019. Members of the advisory group highlight 6 areas in the report that would underpin a successful malaria eradication effort:
1. reinforcing the Global technical strategy for malaria 2016-2030;
2. research & development for new tools;
3. access to affordable, high quality, people-centered health care and services;
4. adequate and sustained financing;
5. strengthened surveillance and response; and
6. engaging communities.
Community-based health care, including outreach and campaigns, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
Community-based health care is an essential part of primary care at all times; in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the distinct capacity of trusted community members for social engagement and delivering care where it is needed is ever more critical. This joint WHO, UNICEF and IFRC guidance addresses the role of community-based health care in the pandemic context. It includes practical recommendations for decision makers to help keep communities and health workers safe, to sustain essential services at the community level, and to ensure an effective response to COVID-19. Using this comprehensive and coordinated approach will help countries strengthen the resilience of community-based health services throughout the pandemic, into early recovery and beyond. Read more
As we mark this year’s World Malaria Day, we must emphasize the need for stronger health systems and sustained investments to more aggressively tackle malaria despite the coronavirus pandemic. Since the start of this year, malaria has killed about 100 times more people in Africa than COVID19. And today, there will be another 1100 malaria deaths, tomorrow the same number. If not addressed, there will be many more people indirectly killed by other diseases such as malaria, HIV and tuberculosis than by the outbreak itself.
Malaria Minute, 1 May 2020
The combined use of mass drug administration and indoor residual spraying is the most effective way to reduce malaria prevalence in low malaria-endemic settings, and antibodies against PfGARP kill malaria-infected cells by inducing cell death.
Watch this exclusive interview & presentation by Dr. Pedro Alonso, WHO Global Malaria Programme Director, on how to tackle both of these global threats simultaneously. Brought to you by Keystone Symposia:
https://bit.ly/VKScovidmalaria
Watch the presentations from this symposium, in which different experts talked about the importance of malaria modeling to understand the epidemiology of the disease and to help in the decision-making process by testing different scenarios.
Malaria Minute, 24 April 2020
Genetic variation would seem to have little impact on the success of gene drive interventions due to conserved Cas9 target sites in populations of Anopheles mosquitoes.
In honour of World Malaria Day 2020
Care Plus® has donated 2000 impregnated printed bed nets to protect children in Uganda, one of the countries with the heaviest malaria burden in Africa. And this is just the start of the Buy One, Give One Program: for every Care Plus® impregnated net that is being sold, one free net is donated to people in need. It is one of the contributions that Care Plus® makes to the fight against malaria.
In the lead-up to this year’s World Malaria Day, countries across the globe are in the throes of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. While cases of the novel coronavirus in malaria-affected countries currently represent only a small proportion of the global total, the situation is evolving rapidly. WHO underlines the critical importance of sustaining efforts to prevent, detect and treat malaria, using best practices to protect health workers and communities from COVID-19 infection.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the malaria community must remain committed to supporting the prevention of malaria infection, illness and death through preventive and case management services, while maintaining a safe environment for patients, clients and staff. Deaths due to malaria and its comorbidities (anaemia, undernutrition, etc.) must continue to be prevented.
This document provides overarching principles as well as specific technical guidance for malaria interventions, including prevention of infection and disease, care and treatment of cases, testing, clinical services, supply chain and laboratory activities, during this time of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. This document will be updated as the situation changes.
Malaria Minute, 17 April 2020
Results from the first human trial of the novel antimalarial drug SJ733 are published in The Lancet.
REGISTER NOW for the April 22, 2020 free ePanel discussion featuring field leaders as they discuss the latest advances and innovative approaches to eliminate malaria—from vaccines, to genetically modified mosquitos and more. Discover new insights into disease biology, co-infections, epidemiology, and public health strategies in this virtual event, integrating basic research, medical advances and translational applications... Read more
Mr Tony Wilkes MIBiol was a field entomologist at the East African Malaria Institute in Amani, Tanzania (then called Tanganyika), from 1958 to 1964 working on the main vectors of malaria in Africa. Returning to the UK in 1965 he worked on the behaviour of mosquitoes at the University of Sussex’s School of Biology, moving to Imperial College, Silwood Park, Ascot, in 1980, working on sand fly biology and behaviour, and in 1987 to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine working on mosquito biology and control until his retirement in 1995. The obituary below was contributed by Dr. Derek Charlwood.
Malaria Minute, 10 April 2020
Enhancing antibody induction may improve the protective efficacy of RTS,S and researchers find that more gametocytes are produced when human infection is initiated by blood-stage parasites compared to mosquito bite.
Malaria Minute, 03 April 2020
The FDA issue an emergency use authorisation for the anti-malarial drug chloroquine, allowing for it to be used to treat certain hospitalised patients with COVID-19.
In addition to our WHO web statement (in English and French) urging countries to ensure the continuity of malaria services, we have developed an online Q&A in: English; French; Spanish; Arabic; Chinese; and Russian.
After many years of great progress in our fight against malaria, our trajectory is plateauing and the world will not achieve the 2020 malaria targets for morbidity and mortality reduction. With over 400 000 deaths and in excess of 200 million malaria cases each year, we must urgently evolve our approach if we are to realize the full potential of current tools and the available resources and get back on track.
The country-led “High burden high impact” (HBHI) response, launched in 2018 by WHO and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, aims to reignite the pace of progress in the global malaria fight and is guided by four key elements.
Malaria Minute, 27 March 2020
Scientists evaluate chloroquine as a potential treatment for the coronavirus and, as it continues to spread around the world, a report in The Lancet stresses the need for preparedness in malaria-endemic regions.
Safety of front-line health workers a primary concern
The COVID-19 pandemic is testing the resilience of robust health systems around the world. Recognizing the heavy toll that malaria exacts on vulnerable populations in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the region’s fragile health infrastructure, WHO underlines the critical importance of sustaining efforts to prevent, detect and treat malaria.
Watch the presentations from this symposium, in which experts from three different African countries (Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia) highlighted innovative initiatives across diverse setting to use routine data for decision-making.
Malaria Minute, 20 March 2020
A protein called PIMMS43 enables the malaria parasite to evade the mosquito’s immune system and scientists describe a highly conserved protein in the malaria parasite that is essential for the invasion of red blood cells.
Malaria Minute, 14 March 2020
The global supply chain linked to deforestation leads to an increase in malaria prevalence and scientists identify the mechanism of action of clemastine, an antihistamine that inhibits multiple stages of the malaria parasite’s lifecycle.
Watch the presentations from this MESA-organized symposium, which brought together a group of experts to address the latest advances in malaria chemoprevention and discuss the impact and challenges faced when translating and scaling up from the trials to the field.
Malaria Minute, 7 March 2020
Researchers target Plasmepsin proteases as resistance to ACT grows, and the process by which the malaria parasite suppresses the immune system is detailed by scientists.
Malaria Minute, 28 February 2020
The Molecular Approaches to Malaria Conference takes place in Australia, and a study into the long-term side effects of antimalarials could not identify any sufficient evidence of association between malaria prophylaxis and adverse health effects.
Gametocytes are loaded with hemozoin resulting from hemoglobulin consumption. Their voracious need of this food may explain why they hide in the bone marrow where they find a large supply of young red blood cells generated by erythropoiesis. Malaria leads to hemolysis and anemia, often severe, and this triggers and amplifies erythropoiesis. Over the years it became evident that not only intravenous artesunate often causes hemolysis, but also ACT therapy.
