SWEDISH STUDY FINDINGS COULD LEAD TO MALARIA VACCINE

A joint study between Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and Makerere University in Uganda has produced important findings on how the malaria parasite conceals itself in the placenta.

Plasmodium falciparium, the most severe form of malaria, hits pregnant women and their unborn children the hardest. This infection can lead to serous complications, including death of the mother during delivery.

The study results, which are published in the American journal The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could enable the development of a malaria vaccine, according to researchers.

During one phase of its lifecycle, the malaria parasite enters red blood cells, where it produces proteins that attach themselves to receptors in the wall of the blood vessels. This causes the red blood cells to accumulate in organ capillaries, and gives rise to life-threatening symptoms. Adults who have been infected several times can become partly immune. When the placenta is formed, however, a new environment is introduced, meaning a new growth niche is made available to a subpopulation of parasites.