Call for more weaponry against ‘neglected malaria’
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
The World Health Organization has called for more research on ways to battle malaria caused by the Plasmodium vivax parasite, in the wake of a surge of infections in Western India.
According to the WHO, the parasite is spreading fast in the Indian cities of Ahmedabad, Bikaner and Mumbai. It still kills fewer people than its relation P. falciparum, but is harder to prevent and treat.
Poonam Khetrapal Singh, director of WHO’s South-East Asia Region, said in a statement that more work should be done on combatting vivax malaria, which contributes “a large proportion of global malaria burden.” But traditionally, most malaria research funding has gone to P. falciparum, says a 2011 paper in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
Source: SciDevNet (link opens in a new window)
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