Scientists stunt parasite growth to tackle malaria

Loss of life, loss of livlihoods and homelessness have already afflicted these flood marooned refugees in Pakistan. Now these living conditions means they also face sickness and and without protection malaria is a major threat. Health agencies try to protect people against infection with sprays, nets and a vaccine for children, there are also preventative medicines. But despite all these, there were 241 million cases of malaria in 2020 and an estimated 627,000 deaths according to the latest malaria report from the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO says these strategies, which are also used for other mosquito borne diseases such as Zika and dengue, are only partially effective. In the meantime the insects are becoming inceasingly resistant to insecticides. Scientists have for many years been investigating whether they can control the life cycle of mosquitoes by manipulating their DNA, thereby creating genetically modified mosquitoes. The disease is spread by a parasite Plasmodium falciparum which grows and reaches maturation inside the female Anopheles mosquito.

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