Monitoring parasite diversity for malaria elimination in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

The African continent continues to bear the greatest burden of malaria and the greatest diversity of parasites, mosquito vectors, and human victims. The evolutionary plasticity of malaria parasites and their vectors is a major obstacle to eliminating the disease. Of current concern is the recently reported emergence of resistance to the front-line drug, artemisinin, in South-East Asia in Plasmodium falciparum , which calls for preemptive surveillance of the African parasite population for genetic markers of emerging drug resistance. Here we describe the Plasmodium Diversity Network Africa (PDNA), which has been established across 11 countries in sub-Saharan Africa to ensure that African scientists are enabled to work together and to play a key role in the global effort for tracking and responding to this public health threat.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Sep 12, 2014
Source ID
10.1126/science.1259423

Entities

People

  • Abdoulaye A. Djimde
  • Alfred Amambua-Ngwa
  • Anita Ghansah
  • Antoinette Tshefu-kitoto
  • Ben Andagalu
  • Deus Ishengoma
  • Dieudonne Mumba
  • Dominic P. Kwiatkowski
  • Edwin Kamau
  • Kimberly Johnson
  • Lemu Golassa
  • Lucas Amenga-Etego
  • Marielle Bouyou-akotet
  • Milijaona Randrianarivelojosia
  • Oumou Maïga-Ascofaré
  • Paulina Tindana
  • Tobias Apinjoh
  • Victoria Cornelius
  • Voahangy Hanitriniaina Andrianaranjaka
  • Yavo William

Organizations

  • Addis Ababa University
  • Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine
  • Kenya Medical Research Institute
  • Medical Research Council
  • National Institute for Medical Research
  • Navrongo Health Research Centre
  • Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research
  • University of Oxford
  • Université de Buea
  • Université de Kinshasa
  • Wellcome Sanger Institute

Tags

Readers

  • Educational Psychology
  • International Relations, focusing on Korea-Africa and North Korea-South Korea relations, and Nigeria-Latin American Relations.
  • Parasitology and Pharmacology of Malaria.

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology