How malaria’s parasite eludes a mosquito’s immune system

Researchers from Imperial College London recently identified that the malaria parasite uses a specific molecule, the PIMMS43, to evade the mosquito’s immune system, enabling it to infect humans. The discovery can help the development of future vaccines or genetically modified mosquitoes resistant to PIMMS43.

Now the group of scientists is working to produce antibodies capable of blocking the action of this molecule to prevent parasite transmission. The results of the first tests are promising – the number of parasites able to survive the mosquito’s immune response was reduced significantly.

To know more, visit Imperial College’s website or Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).