2. W HAT IS MALARIA ?  Malaria: disease caused a parasitic protozoan species of the genus Plasmodium  Phylum Apicomplexa (“animal- like” protists)  3 life cycles  The Plasmodium species begins its life cycle in a vector in the mosquito genus Anopheles  only female mosquitoes bite  ~ 460 recognized species in Anopheles  100 species can transmit malaria  5 to 6 species of protozoan Plasmodium species can cause malaria

3. S YMPTOMS  Fever (flu like illness) Chills Rigors Myalgia Headache Cough Coma Death

4. O F P LASMODIUM AND MEN …  Plasmodium falciparum is the world’s #1 killer  Strains are the most virulent  Most effective treatment using chloroquine  However, P. vivax is a “silent killer”. It produces cells called hypnozoites  Dormant phase--these can reside in the liver for years  Chloroquine not as effective

5. Q UININE  Alkaloid used for anti- malarial and anti- inflammatory properties  Occurs naturally in the Cinchona tree (Cinchona sp.)  Bark is utilized, drug synthesized to isolate in a salt form  Also fluorescent

6. A NOPHELES VECTOR  Lifespan: typically 1 month  Males: feed on nectar: ~ 1 week  Effective discriminatory feeders  females utilize animal protein (isoleucine) to produce eggs  Attracted to body heat  Can detect the exhalation of CO2  Pregnant women are more prevalent at being bitten  Elevated body temp.  Can also detect other chemical compounds  Lactic acid (metabolizing milk)  Octenol (secretion of alcohol—fatty acids)  Discriminatory feeders  Attracted to certain blood types  Type O is most common  Detect chemical markers called antigens  Humans secrete through skin mostly  80% of humans are “secretors”

7. Source: Science

8. T RANSMISSION OF MALARIA  1.Step 1Infected mosquito bites human and releases Plasmodium sporozites into blood.  2.Step 2Travels from blood to liver where it becomes merozoites through asexual reproduction  3.Step 3Liver cell bursts releasing merozoites into RBC  4.Step 4In RBC, through asexual production, morozoites become gametocytes  5.Step 5Another mosquito will bite and pick blood with gametocytes  6.Step 6Gametocytes become gametes in the stomach of a mosquito through fertilization  7.Step 7Gametes become diploid zygotes  8.Step 8Zygotes swell and form oocytes from meiosis, and eventually rupture releasing new sporozites, ready to be injected in another human

9. M ALARIA “ ERADICATION ”  Isla Hispañola in the Caribbean Islands (today the countries of Haiti and Dominican Republic) can have the potential of eradicating malaria from the island  Only 1 Plasmodium species (P. falciparum) and 1 vector (A. albimanus)  Prefers to bite cows

10. M ALARIA ERADICATION : ISLA HISPAÑOLA HaitiDominican Republic  GNI (gross national income): ~ 600/year  Poorest nation in the W. hemisphere  80% of population live below poverty line  2% forest cover  GNI: 11,000/year  2 nd largest economy in Caribbean/Central America  ~ 39% forest cover

11. A NTIMALARIAL DRUG RESISTANCE IN SE ASIA  All populations have genetic variation  Drugs containing chloroquinine and arteminisin  S.E. Asia  Mekong river system  Resistance toward arteminisin

12. T REATMENTS  Vaccine news  3 types of approach, or “candidates”  Pre-erythrocytic (before blood stage)  Blood-stage  Transmission-blocking