Book

Description

Malaria is caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus Plasmodium, which is carried by an arthropod mosquito vector of the genus Anopheles. Different species of the Plasmodium parasite exists with diverse genes and sub-genes (alleles), and the arthropod vector- the female Anopheles mosquito- also possesses a wide range of species and complexes. The high level of genetic diversity and the pronounced gene flux amongst Plasmodium species populations; and the wide geographic distribution and adaptation, and consequently the different species complexes of Anopheles mosquitoes, more often than not, present an obstacle to the control and elimination of malaria. Worldwide, there are an estimated 300–500 million reported cases of malaria, and up to 2.7 million deaths are documented each year. The mortality levels are greatest in sub-Saharan Africa, where children under 5 years of age account for 90% of all deaths owing to malaria. Knowledge on the parasite diversity, and its transmission dynamics is useful in informing public health interventions for Plasmodium and could also refine or develop new control and elimination strategies. This book focuses on the genetically distinct markers of Plasmodium parasite sub-populations- with emphasis on Plasmodium falciparum, its transmission dynamics, the Anopheles vector species, and the contributions of humans to the changing gene diversity of the parasite and vector.