Malaria: Investigating Malaria Parasites and Gene Expression.

Though cases are rare in America, Malaria is a major threat to the health of millions of people throughout globe. In Southern Africa it takes the lives of one to two million children each year. Although only four species of the malaria parasite infect humans, severe disease and deaths are overwhelmingly due to a single species, Plasmodium falciparum. This disease can cause significant changes in economic development by absence in the workplace and also can …

…not be overlooked. Though researchers are working hard in discovering mosquito and the parasite's genomic data, some questions still go unanswered. Analyzing the genomic makeup of the mosquito, research can reveal genetic vulnerabilities that can be exploited to control the mosquito which is essential to the pathogen's deadly work. The genome sequence provides the foundation for future studies of this parasite, and is being used for search of new drugs and vaccines to fight malaria.