The means by which most deadly malaria parasites are detected
and killed by the mosquitoes that carry them is revealed for the
first time in research published today (5 March) in Science
Express. The discovery could help researchers find a way to
block transmission of the disease from mosquitoes to humans.
Mosquitoes become infected with malaria when they feed on the
blood of an infected person. Young malaria parasites then grow
and develop inside the mosquito for two weeks. New human
infections occur when these parasites are 'injected' with the
insect's saliva during the mosquito's next blood meal. However,
most of the malaria parasites are killed by the mosquito's
immune system as soon as they enter the insect's bloodstream,
with only one or two slipping through the net and going on to
divide, multiply, and infect people. The new study shows exactly
how the mosquito's immune system kicks in to kill 80 - 90
percent of the parasites. The researchers discovered that the
parasites are detected by a pair of prot