Bacterium

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have identified a bacterium in mosquitoes that stops the development of Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria in humans. According to the study, the bacterium is part of the naturally occurring microbial flora of the mosquito's gut and kills the parasite by producing reactive oxygen species. They have known from past testing that mosquitos mid gut bacteria can be used to limit the malaria parasite. The resent studies have shown that certain bacteria can block the malaria parasites development through the radicals that are detrimental to Plasmodium. "We are particularly excited about this discovery because it may explain why mosquitoes of the same species and strain sometimes differ in their resistance to the parasite, and we may also use this knowledge to develop novel methods to stop the spread of malaria, says George Dimopoulos, of Department of Microbiology. One strategy is to release the mosquito back into its field and to see if the gut can resists the malaria. The future of preventing malaria would be a huge accomplishment, worldwide malaria affects more than 225, million people. Each year this disease kills 800, thousand people, many who are children in Africa. The research to find the solution to lead to the cure would be a future goal for many Scientists.