Case studies from the biomedical and health systems research activities of the Swiss Tropical Institute in Africa (Publications)
Institute. Schistosomiasis and malaria control provide the background to problems related to the efficacy of tools. In particular, information on the trial of a malaria vaccine candidate (SPf66) is given
Ancient Chinese methods are remarkably effective for the preparation of artemisinin-rich extracts of Qing Hao with potent antimalarial activity (Publications)
artemisinin is an important antimalarial drug and the herb itself is being grown and used locally for malaria treatment although this practice is controversial. Here we show that the ancient Chinese methods [...] in P. berghei infected mice. The implications of these results are discussed in the context of malaria treatment using A. annua infusions
VectorDisk: a microfluidic platform integrating diagnostic markers for evidence-based mosquito control (Publications)
identify mosquito and malaria parasite species as well as insecticide resistance mechanisms. In the second study, purified nucleic acids served as samples to test arboviral and malaria infective mosquito
Novel antimalarial tetrazoles and amides active against the hemoglobin degradation pathway in <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> (Publications)
Malaria control programs continue to be threatened by drug resistance. To identify new antimalarials, we conducted a phenotypic screen and identified a novel tetrazole-based series that shows fast-kill [...] polymerization pathway and that can form the basis of future optimization efforts to develop a new malaria treatment.
Discovery and characterization of potent, efficacious, orally available antimalarial plasmepsin X inhibitors and preclinical safety assessment of... (Publications)
Plasmepsin X (PMX) is an essential aspartyl protease controlling malaria parasite egress and invasion of erythrocytes, development of functional liver merozoites (prophylactic activity), and blocking [...] days. This work demonstrates the potential to deliver PMX inhibitors with in vivo efficacy to treat malaria.
Reaction hijacking of tyrosine tRNA synthetase as a new whole-of-life-cycle antimalarial strategy (Publications)
the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, namely tyrosine RS (PfYRS). ML901 exerts whole-life-cycle-killing activity with low nanomolar potency and single-dose efficacy in a mouse model of malaria. X-ray
COVID-19: Have we learned anything from previous lessons? (Page)
https://www.swisstph.ch/en/impact-stories/covid-19-have-we-learned-anything-from-previous-lessons
SARS-CoV-2, but the increase in malaria transmission now observed in many African countries is closely linked to the pandemic. The gains made over the past two decades in malaria control are now at risk. Linking [...] diseases, especially in remote areas, went untreated. It is estimated that 500,000 more people died of malaria and pneumonia during the Ebola epidemic than on average. This is known as "collateral damage." Worsening [...] overburdening fragile health systems: the negative effects...
The development of an ivermectin-based attractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB) to target <em>Anopheles arabiensis</em> (Publications)
Africa are moving towards malaria-elimination, mostly thanks to successful vector control campaigns. However, elimination has proven challenging, resulting in the persistence of malaria transmission. It is now [...] now accepted that in order to eliminate malaria, new complementary vector control approaches must be developed. This study describes the development of a sugar-baited resting place containing a toxic dose
Surveillance of molecular markers of <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> artemisinin resistance (<em>kelch</em>13 mutations) in Papua New Guinea between... (Publications)
Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is a global threat to malaria control and elimination efforts. Mutations in the P. falciparum kelch13 gene (Pfk13) that are associated [...] in other parts of PNG is unknown. We investigated the prevalence of Pfk13 mutations in multiple malaria-endemic regions of PNG. P. falciparum isolates (n = 1152) collected between 2016 and 2018 and assessed [...] Continued surveillance for molecular markers of drug resistance is...
Infection and co-infection with helminths and <em>Plasmodium</em> among school children in Côte d'Ivoire: results from a national cross-sectional... (Publications)
Helminth infection and malaria remain major causes of ill-health in the tropics and subtropics. There are several shared risk factors (e.g., poverty), and hence, helminth infection and malaria overlap geographically [...] provide a rationale to combine control interventions that simultaneously aim at helminthiases and malaria