Resolving the phylogeny of malaria parasites.

R egardless of what aspect of malaria one might discuss, superlatives will always be abundant in the conversation. That is because human malaria parasites are among the deadliest scourges of our species, have been recorded farther back in our recorded history than any other pathogen, and are among the first pathogens to be identified and studied in a modern public health context. However, despite the extreme significance to the health of our species, malaria has been a most elusive subject of scientific inquiry, and hence a persistent challenge for those seeking to interrupt its transmission. In PNAS, Outlaw and Ricklefs (1) present a unique insight on the phylogenetic relationships among these parasites. To appreciate the relevance of these findings fully, it is necessary to contextualize them in light of the past 130 y of malaria research.