The Schools Malaria Project (http://emalaria.soton.ac.uk/) brings together school students with university researchers in the hunt for a new antimalaria drug. Malaria kills a child every thirty seconds, and 40% of the world’s population lives in countries where the disease is endemic. Resistance to existing drugs is increasing and there is a growing need for new compounds. This challenge is bei...

Malaria parasite strains have emerged to tolerate the therapeutic effects of the prophylactics and drugs presently available. This resistance now poses a serious challenge to researchers in the bid to overcome malaria parasitic infection. Recent studies have shown that FK520 and its analogs inhibit malaria parasites growth by binding to FK506 binding proteins (FKBPs) of the parasites. Structure...

The anti-merozoite surface protein-1 19-kDa IgG (anti-MSP119KD) IgG responses of 33 parasitemic infants, aged 6-14 months, were compared with those of their mothers at the time of the infant's delivery and at the time the infants were sampled; the antimalaria protection associated with these responses was also compared. IgG1 and IgG3 were the predominant subclasses. Infants <300 days old and pr...

In order to determine knowledge, attitudes and practices towards malaria prophylaxis, as well as its side-effects and efficacy, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to European travellers on return flights from tropical Africa to Europe. Between 1985 and 1988 the questionnaire was completed by 44,472 passengers (80.1% of those on board) on 242 flights. A follow-up questionnaire was...

Study on the effects of some antimalaria drugs; coartem, fansidar and lonart on gastric acid secretion was carried out for 14 days on thirty albino male and female mice infected with Plasmodium berghei berghei malaria parasite. The results showed that coartem at a dosage of 33.6mg/kg decreased red blood cells count as compared with control P<0.05, same with chloroquine at a dosage of 14.3mg/kg....

Falciparum malaria may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The degree of mortality and morbidity usually corresponds to the degree of parasitemia. Quinine and other antimalarial drugs are relatively slow acting and not always effective owing to the presence of drug resistance falciparum. Rapid reduction of the number of circulating parasites may be required. Exchange transfu...