malaria Archives

Malaria modelling: An optimal control problem

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Professor Wandi Ding uses mathematical modelling to allow for control variables when modelling complex biological systems; in this case determining the best way to control wild mosquito populations through the release of sterile insects to reduce the impact of malaria

Malaria, a life-threatening mosquito-borne disease, is a leading cause of death and infection in many developing countries. Using mathematical modelling, Professor Wandi Ding, Middle Tennessee State University, USA, and her colleagues investigate optimal control of malaria, using both the sterile insect technique and insecticide-treated nets. Their simulations show that a combination of both strategies results in a more rapid elimination […]

Climate change impacts the transmission of vector-borne diseases

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Climate change is responsible for changes in temperature and rainfall patterns as well as more frequent extreme events such as floods. These changes may cause insect displacements to regions that are more favourable to them. This can prove to be problematic for local human populations as some of these insects carry diseases: vector-borne diseases are illnesses caused by parasites, viruses […]

Mosquito control: The INZECTO solution

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Mosquitoes are vectors for diseases, such as yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya and Zika, which pose a threat to human health on a global scale. Mosquito control is therefore an urgent consideration for public health. Dr Philip Koehler and Dr Roberto M Pereira of the University of Florida have pioneered two innovative methods of mosquito control, INZECTO mosquito chips and INZECTO […]

Using a computer to fight malaria: Finding new artemisinin-based combination therapies

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Sporozoite forms of the Plasmodium parasite infect red blood cells.

Malaria still claims the lives of hundreds of thousands of people a year and the World Health Organisation identifies half the world’s population at risk from the disease. Even more worryingly, an increasing number of malaria strains are showing signs of drug resistance to existing treatments. One approach that still seems to be effective is the use of artemisinin-based combination […]

The researchers investigating a new type of antimalarial

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The World Health Organization estimates that almost all deaths due to malaria are children living in Africa. Prevention measures against malaria are causing a steady decline in deaths, but common antimalarial therapies like artemisinin-based combination therapies are at risk of becoming ineffective due to drug resistance developing in the Plasmodium falciparum parasite responsible for transmitting the disease. Eugene Megnassan at […]