Study Uncovers Genes That Aid Malarial Resistance

Researchers in the United States have identified 11 genes that malaria parasites use to defend themselves from our modern medicinal treatments. This could be a breakthrough in discovering better drugs to combat malaria. A team from Harvard University and the Broad Institute in Boston used advanced gene-hunting technology to break down the genetic code of the malaria parasite. They discovered 10 previously undiscovered genes that help the malaria fight off modern medicine. The scientists added extra copies of a specific gene to subjects still vulnerable to malaria medicine, and the drugs became less effective as the gene "PF10_0355" built up some sort of resistance to the malaria meds.

This study could be huge in allowing science to develop a better cure to an illness that affects approximately 300 million people in the world, and approximately 1.5 million die from it each year. Parasites seem to be getting more and more resistant to drugs every year. It's not just malaria either. Penicillin isn't nearly as effective as it used to be. It seems like Darwin and Spencer had it right, if you kill off enough of the weaker germs, the strongest ones are going to survive and multiply. Malaria is really dangerous, not so much in the United States, but around the world. It is nice to see that there may be some help on the way.