Malaria News |
Strengthening the policy setting process for global malaria control and elimination 
The scale-up of malaria control efforts in recent years, coupled with major investments in malaria research, has produced impressive public health impact in a number of countries and has led to the development of new tools and strategies aimed at further consolidating malaria control goals. As a result, there is a growing need for the malaria policy setting process to rapidly review increasing amounts of evidence.
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Visual and olfactory associative learning in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto
Memory and learning are critical aspects of the ecology of insect vectors of human pathogens because of their potential effects on contacts between vectors and their hosts. Despite this epidemiological importance, there have been only a limited number of studies investigating associative learning in insect vector species and none on Anopheline mosquitoes.
A simple behavioural assays was developed to study visual and olfactory associative learning in Anopheles gambiae, the main vector of malaria in Africa. Two contrasted membrane qualities or levels of blood palatability were used as reinforcing stimuli for bi-directional conditioning during blood feeding.
Under such experimental conditions An.
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Malaria hopes rise as chemists produce cheap artemisinin 
Nature News
doi:10.1038/nature.2012.9895
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Hyponatraemia in imported malaria: the pathophysiological role of vasopressin
In the pathophysiology of hyponatraemia in malaria, the relative contribution of appropriate and inappropriate arginine vasopressin (AVP) release is unknown; the trigger for inappropriate AVP release is also unknown.
Serum copeptin, a stable and sensitive marker for AVP release, was analysed in a large cohort of patients with imported malaria (204 patients) and in a small prospective substudy (23 patients) in which urine sodium and osmolality were also available. Hyponatraemia was classified as mild (serum sodium 131-134 mmol/l) and moderate-to-severe (< 131 mmol/l).
Serum copeptin on admission was higher in patients with moderate-to-severe hyponatraemia (median 18.5 pmol/L) compared with normonatraemic patients (12.7 pmol/L, p<0.05).
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Plasmodium falciparum Produce Lower Infection Intensities in Local versus Foreign Anopheles gambiae Populations 
by Caroline Harris, Isabelle Morlais, Thomas S. Churcher, Parfait Awono-Ambene, Louis Clement Gouagna, Roch K. Dabire, Didier Fontenille, Anna Cohuet
Both Plasmodium falciparum and Anopheles gambiae show great diversity in Africa, in their own genetic makeup and population dynamics. The genetics of the individual mosquito and parasite are known to play a role in determining the outcome of infection in the vector, but whether differences in infection phenotype vary between populations remains to be investigated. Here we established two A. gambiae s.s. M molecular form colonies from Cameroon and Burkina Faso, representing a local and a foreign population for each of the geographical sites.
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Areas with low malaria rates 'need mass vaccination' 
A study simulating the deployment of a promising malaria vaccine finds low transmission areas would benefit the most from mass vaccination.
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Researchers discover method to unravel malaria's genetic secrets 
Researchers have devised a technique to overcome a genetic oddity of Plasmodium falciparum, the major cause of human malaria, which has stymied research into the organism's genes. The technique opens the door to genetic discovery for the entire organism, which should foster a greater understanding of the parasite, and facilitate discovery of new medications for a disease that infects 200 million people and kills nearly 700,000 every year.
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Comparing changes in haematologic parameters occurring in patients included in randomized controlled trials of artesunate-amodiaquine vs single and combination treatments of uncomplicated falciparum in sub-Saharan Africa
Artesunate-amodiaquine (AS&AQ) is a widely used artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) for falciparum malaria. A comprehensive appreciation of its effects on haematology vs other anti-malarials is needed in view of potential safety liabilities.
The effects of AS&AQ on haematologic parameters were not different from those of other anti-malarial treatments used in sub-Saharan Africa. This analysis provides the basis for a broader evaluation of haematology following anti-malarial treatment. Continuing monitoring of haematologic safety on larger databases is required.
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