Pharmacophore model for pentamidine analogs active against <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> (Publications)
to be active against Plasmodium falciparum, which causes the most dangerous malarial infection. Malaria is a widespread disease known to affect hundreds of millions of people and presents a perceivable [...] polar oxygen and amidine substituents and the hydrophobic linking chain for the activity against malaria
Probing <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> sexual commitment at the single-cell level (Publications)
Background: Malaria parasites go through major transitions during their complex life cycle, yet the underlying differentiation pathways remain obscure. Here we apply single cell transcriptomics to unravel [...] programs, with important implications for our understanding of parasite biology and the ongoing malaria elimination campaign.
Ultra-sensitive detection of <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> by amplification of multi-copy subtelomeric targets (Publications)
qPCR in community surveillance and for monitoring interventions to better describe malaria epidemiology and inform malaria elimination efforts [...] BACKGROUND: Planning and evaluating malaria control strategies relies on accurate definition of parasite prevalence in the population. A large proportion of asymptomatic parasite infections can only be [...] might still remain undetected when absent in the limited blood volume sampled. CONCLUSIONS: Measured malaria prevalence in communities is...
Lack of associations of alpha(+) - thalassemia with the risk of <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> and <em>Plasmodium vivax</em> infection and disease in... (Publications)
unknown. An increase in risk of Plasmodium vivax malaria in early childhood resulting in a cross-species protection against severe P. falciparum malaria has been proposed as a possible mechanism in Melanesian [...] wild-type allele. No significant differences in the incidence of P. falciparum (Pf) or P. vivax (Pv) malaria were observed between alpha(+)-thalassemia homozygote (Pf: Incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.13, CI(95) [...] = 0.008). This study therefore failed to confirm an increased risk of...
Assessing whether universal coverage with insecticide-treated nets has been achieved: is the right indicator being used? (Publications)
(ITNs) are the primary tool for malaria vector control in sub-Saharan Africa, and have been responsible for an estimated two-thirds of the reduction in the global burden of malaria in recent years. While the [...] ITN for 2 people did not exceed 60% at the national level in any survey, except in Uganda's 2014 Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS). At 80% population ITN access, the expected proportion of households with [...] success of an ITN distribution programme. Under current ITN distribution...
Association between the proportion of <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> and <em>Plasmodium vivax</em> infections detected by passive surveillance and the... (Publications)
proportion of infections detected in routine malaria data, P(Detect), was derived from paired household cross-sectional survey and routinely collected malaria data within health facilities. P(Detect) was [...] BACKGROUND: Passively collected malaria case data are the foundation for public health decision making. However, because of population-level immunity, infections might not always be sufficiently symptomatic [...] model in 431 clusters spanning the Americas, Africa, and Asia. The...
Spatial risk profiling of <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> parasitaemia in a high endemicity area in Côte d'Ivoire (Publications)
in a high endemicity area of Africa, and to specify how this information can facilitate improved malaria control at the district level. METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to about 4,000 schoolchildren [...] parasitaemia. After accounting for spatial correlation, age, bed net coverage, rainfall during the main malaria transmission season and distance to rivers remained significant covariates. CONCLUSION: It is argued [...] villages in close proximity to rivers, in concert with other...
Innovative tools and OpenHDS for health and demographic surveillance on Rusinga Island, Kenya (Publications)
METHODS: A large trial investigating the effect of odour-baited mosquito traps on malaria vector populations and malaria transmission on Rusinga Island, western Kenya, has deployed an HDSS. By means of [...] DISCUSSION: Adopting innovative technological advancements has enabled the collection of demographic and malaria data quickly and effectively, with minimal margin for errors. Real-time data quality controls integrated
Feasibility of repellent use in a context of increasing outdoor transmission: a qualitative study in rural Tanzania (Publications)
long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) has substantially reduced malaria morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. These tools target indoor resting and biting vectors [...] may select for vectors that bite and rest outdoors. Thus, to significantly impact this residual malaria transmission outdoors, tools targeting outdoor transmission are required. Repellents, used for personal [...] hinges upon its community acceptability. This study assessed the...
<em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> merozoite surface protein 2: epitope mapping and fine specificity of human antibody response against non-polymorphic... (Publications)
allelic families of Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface proteins 2 are considered promising malaria vaccine candidates. The aim of the current study is to characterize the immune response (epitope [...] (epitope mapping) in naturally exposed individuals and relate immune responses to the risk of clinical malaria. METHODS: To optimize their construction, the fine specificity of human serum antibodies from donors [...] response to individual epitopes within the 3D7 family-specific region...