Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Postgraduate Medical Journal logoLink to Postgraduate Medical Journal
. 2005 Aug;81(958):505–509. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.2004.030304

Malaria in the post-genomics era: light at the end of the tunnel or just another train?

D Gardiner 1, J McCarthy 1, K Trenholme 1
PMCID: PMC1743328  PMID: 16085741

Abstract

Malaria remains the third leading cause of death attributable to an infectious disease worldwide, with an estimated death toll of over 2 million per year, predominately in sub-Saharan Africa. The first serious attempt to eradicate this disease was unsuccessful, and 50 years later in 1998 a second programme coined "roll back malaria" was started. While this programme is at present unlikely to reach its stated aims, the completion of the genome sequencing projects on the human host, the mosquito vector, and the malaria parasite offers new hope. It is probable that the burden of disease caused by the most malignant form of the parasite Plasmodium falciparum can be, if not eliminated, then effectively suppressed within a generation through new and novel treatments aimed at all three arms of malaria control.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (81.1 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Alonso Pedro L., Sacarlal Jahit, Aponte John J., Leach Amanda, Macete Eusebio, Milman Jessica, Mandomando Inacio, Spiessens Bart, Guinovart Caterina, Espasa Mateu. Efficacy of the RTS,S/AS02A vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum infection and disease in young African children: randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2004 Oct 16;364(9443):1411–1420. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)17223-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Aravind L., Iyer Lakshminarayan M., Wellems Thomas E., Miller Louis H. Plasmodium biology: genomic gleanings. Cell. 2003 Dec 26;115(7):771–785. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(03)01023-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Ballou W. Ripley, Arevalo-Herrera Myriam, Carucci Daniel, Richie Thomas L., Corradin Giampietro, Diggs Carter, Druilhe Pierre, Giersing Birgitte K., Saul Allan, Heppner D. Gray. Update on the clinical development of candidate malaria vaccines. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2004 Aug;71(2 Suppl):239–247. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bojang K. A., Milligan P. J., Pinder M., Vigneron L., Alloueche A., Kester K. E., Ballou W. R., Conway D. J., Reece W. H., Gothard P. Efficacy of RTS,S/AS02 malaria vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum infection in semi-immune adult men in The Gambia: a randomised trial. Lancet. 2001 Dec 8;358(9297):1927–1934. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(01)06957-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Breman Joel G., Alilio Martin S., Mills Anne. Conquering the intolerable burden of malaria: what's new, what's needed: a summary. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2004 Aug;71(2 Suppl):1–15. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Clyde D. F., Most H., McCarthy V. C., Vanderberg J. P. Immunization of man against sporozite-induced falciparum malaria. Am J Med Sci. 1973 Sep;266(3):169–177. doi: 10.1097/00000441-197309000-00002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Collins F. H., Kamau L., Ranson H. A., Vulule J. M. Molecular entomology and prospects for malaria control. Bull World Health Organ. 2003 Nov 17;78(12):1412–1423. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Curtis C. F., Jana-Kara B., Maxwell C. A. Insecticide treated nets: impact on vector populations and relevance of initial intensity of transmission and pyrethroid resistance. J Vector Borne Dis. 2003 Mar-Jun;40(1-2):1–8. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. D'Alessandro U., Leach A., Drakeley C. J., Bennett S., Olaleye B. O., Fegan G. W., Jawara M., Langerock P., George M. O., Targett G. A. Efficacy trial of malaria vaccine SPf66 in Gambian infants. Lancet. 1995 Aug 19;346(8973):462–467. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(95)91321-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gardner Malcolm J., Hall Neil, Fung Eula, White Owen, Berriman Matthew, Hyman Richard W., Carlton Jane M., Pain Arnab, Nelson Karen E., Bowman Sharen. Genome sequence of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Nature. 2002 Oct 3;419(6906):498–511. doi: 10.1038/nature01097. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Greenwood B. M. Malaria transmission and vector control. Parasitol Today. 1997 Mar;13(3):90–126. doi: 10.1016/s0169-4758(97)01002-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hay Simon I., Guerra Carlos A., Tatem Andrew J., Noor Abdisalan M., Snow Robert W. The global distribution and population at risk of malaria: past, present, and future. Lancet Infect Dis. 2004 Jun;4(6):327–336. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(04)01043-6. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Holt Robert A., Subramanian G. Mani, Halpern Aaron, Sutton Granger G., Charlab Rosane, Nusskern Deborah R., Wincker Patrick, Clark Andrew G., Ribeiro José M. C., Wides Ron. The genome sequence of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Science. 2002 Oct 4;298(5591):129–149. doi: 10.1126/science.1076181. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Ito Junitsu, Ghosh Anil, Moreira Luciano A., Wimmer Ernst A., Jacobs-Lorena Marcelo. Transgenic anopheline mosquitoes impaired in transmission of a malaria parasite. Nature. 2002 May 23;417(6887):452–455. doi: 10.1038/417452a. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Kremsner Peter Gottfried, Krishna Sanjeev. Antimalarial combinations. Lancet. 2004 Jul 17;364(9430):285–294. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)16680-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Lindblade Kim A., Eisele Thomas P., Gimnig John E., Alaii Jane A., Odhiambo Frank, ter Kuile Feiko O., Hawley William A., Wannemuehler Kathleen A., Phillips-Howard Penelope A., Rosen Daniel H. Sustainability of reductions in malaria transmission and infant mortality in western Kenya with use of insecticide-treated bednets: 4 to 6 years of follow-up. JAMA. 2004 Jun 2;291(21):2571–2580. doi: 10.1001/jama.291.21.2571. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Maxwell C. A., Msuya E., Sudi M., Njunwa K. J., Carneiro I. A., Curtis C. F. Effect of community-wide use of insecticide-treated nets for 3-4 years on malarial morbidity in Tanzania. Trop Med Int Health. 2002 Dec;7(12):1003–1008. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-3156.2002.00966.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. McCarter James P. Genomic filtering: an approach to discovering novel antiparasitics. Trends Parasitol. 2004 Oct;20(10):462–468. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2004.07.008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. McCarthy Michael. Preventing pregnancy malaria. Simple vaccines that stop parasites lodging in the placenta may save thousands of lives. Lancet. 2004 Jan 10;363(9403):132–133. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(03)15312-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Moorthy Vasee S., Good Michael F., Hill Adrian V. S. Malaria vaccine developments. Lancet. 2004 Jan 10;363(9403):150–156. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(03)15267-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Moorthy Vasee S., Imoukhuede Egeruan B., Keating Sheila, Pinder Margaret, Webster Daniel, Skinner Michael A., Gilbert Sarah C., Walraven Gijs, Hill Adrian V. S. Phase 1 evaluation of 3 highly immunogenic prime-boost regimens, including a 12-month reboosting vaccination, for malaria vaccination in Gambian men. J Infect Dis. 2004 May 24;189(12):2213–2219. doi: 10.1086/421118. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Ménard R., Sultan A. A., Cortes C., Altszuler R., van Dijk M. R., Janse C. J., Waters A. P., Nussenzweig R. S., Nussenzweig V. Circumsporozoite protein is required for development of malaria sporozoites in mosquitoes. Nature. 1997 Jan 23;385(6614):336–340. doi: 10.1038/385336a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Nosten F., Luxemburger C., Kyle D. E., Ballou W. R., Wittes J., Wah E., Chongsuphajaisiddhi T., Gordon D. M., White N. J., Sadoff J. C. Randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial of SPf66 malaria vaccine in children in northwestern Thailand. Shoklo SPf66 Malaria Vaccine Trial Group. Lancet. 1996 Sep 14;348(9029):701–707. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(96)04465-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Olliaro P. L., Taylor W. R. Developing artemisinin based drug combinations for the treatment of drug resistant falciparum malaria: A review. J Postgrad Med. 2004 Jan-Mar;50(1):40–44. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Olliaro Piero L., Taylor Walter R. J. Antimalarial compounds: from bench to bedside. J Exp Biol. 2003 Nov;206(Pt 21):3753–3759. doi: 10.1242/jeb.00653. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Pukrittayakamee S., Supanaranond W., Looareesuwan S., Vanijanonta S., White N. J. Quinine in severe falciparum malaria: evidence of declining efficacy in Thailand. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1994 May-Jun;88(3):324–327. doi: 10.1016/0035-9203(94)90102-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. SHORTT H. E., FAIRLEY N. H., COVELL G., SHUTE P. G., GARNHAM P. C. C. The pre-erythrocytic stage of Plasmodium falciparum. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1951 Feb;44(4):405–419. doi: 10.1016/s0035-9203(51)80019-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Singh Balbir, Kim Sung Lee, Matusop Asmad, Radhakrishnan Anand, Shamsul Sunita S. G., Cox-Singh Janet, Thomas Alan, Conway David J. A large focus of naturally acquired Plasmodium knowlesi infections in human beings. Lancet. 2004 Mar 27;363(9414):1017–1024. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)15836-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Skinner-Adams Tina S., McCarthy James S., Gardiner Donald L., Hilton Petrina M., Andrews Katherine T. Antiretrovirals as antimalarial agents. J Infect Dis. 2004 Nov 3;190(11):1998–2000. doi: 10.1086/425584. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Smith D. C., Sanford L. B. Laveran's germ: the reception and use of a medical discovery. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1985 Jan;34(1):2–20. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.1985.34.2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Takken Willem. Do insecticide-treated bednets have an effect on malaria vectors? Trop Med Int Health. 2002 Dec;7(12):1022–1030. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-3156.2002.00983.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Talisuna Ambrose O., Bloland Peter, D'Alessandro Umberto. History, dynamics, and public health importance of malaria parasite resistance. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2004 Jan;17(1):235–254. doi: 10.1128/CMR.17.1.235-254.2004. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Touré Yeya T., Oduola Ayoade M. J., Morel Carlos M. The Anopheles gambiae genome: next steps for malaria vector control. Trends Parasitol. 2004 Mar;20(3):142–149. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2004.01.008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Venter J. C., Adams M. D., Myers E. W., Li P. W., Mural R. J., Sutton G. G., Smith H. O., Yandell M., Evans C. A., Holt R. A. The sequence of the human genome. Science. 2001 Feb 16;291(5507):1304–1351. doi: 10.1126/science.1058040. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Yamey Gavin. Roll Back Malaria: a failing global health campaign. BMJ. 2004 May 8;328(7448):1086–1087. doi: 10.1136/bmj.328.7448.1086. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Postgraduate Medical Journal are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES