Genomes of chimpanzee parasite species reveal evolution of human malaria
Tuesday, March 22, 2016 - 18:30
in Biology & Nature
Female orphan chimpanzee are cared for at the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center. Understanding the origins of emerging diseases - as well as more established disease agents -- is critical to gauge future human infection risks and find new treatment and prevention approaches. This holds true for malaria, which kills more than 500,000 people a year. Symptoms, including severe anemia, pregnancy-associated malaria, and cerebral malaria, have been linked to the parasite's ability to cause infected red blood cells to bind to the inner lining of blood vessels.