Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
Health

Not all mosquitoes can transmit malaria

Darpan News Desk IANS, 28 Nov, 2014 12:46 PM
    A genetic study has revealed that certain species of mosquitoes have evolved to better transmit malaria than even some of their close cousins.
     
    The study may advance understanding about the biological differences between mosquitoes that transmit malaria, and ultimately, how species might be more precisely controlled to stop transmission.
     
    "With the availability of genome sequences from Anopheles mosquitoes of divergent lineages, we now have the opportunity to significantly improve our understanding of these important malaria vectors and develop new strategies to combat malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases," explained Zhijian Tu, professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
     
    Of about 450 different species of mosquitoes in the Anopheles genus, only about 60 can transmit the Plasmodium malaria parasite that is harmful to people.
     
    The team chose 16 mosquito species that are currently found in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, but evolved from the same ancestor approximately 100 million years ago.
     
    Today, the 16 species have varying capabilities for transmitting malaria and adapting to new environments.
     
    The researchers sequenced their genomes to better understand the evolutionary science behind the differences.
     
    In a second related study, researchers found that the most dangerous species, Anopheles gambiae, is able to increase its transmission capabilities by swapping genes at the chromosome level.
     
    A genetic process called introgression, where genes from one species flow into another, plays a role in evolution, in this case by enhancing the capacity of mosquitoes to transmit the malaria parasite, the findings suggested.
     
    The research in the second paper was led by Matthew Hahn, professor at Indiana University.
     
    Both the studies appeared in the journal Science.

    MORE Health ARTICLES

    Fibre-rich Diet Helps You Lose Weight

    Fibre-rich Diet Helps You Lose Weight
    Certain fibres contained in prepared foods such as cereals, cereal bars, baking mixes, and drinks may cause a shift towards beneficial bacteria in the gut and assist in weight loss when made part of a long-term, daily diet, says a new research.

    Fibre-rich Diet Helps You Lose Weight

    Low Vitamin D levels may lead to early death

    Low Vitamin D levels may lead to early death
    Vitamin D deficiency is not just bad for your bone health, it can also result in various other diseases leading to an early death, research shows.

    Low Vitamin D levels may lead to early death

    Feeling demoralised bad for your heart

    Feeling demoralised bad for your heart
    Vital exhaustion, the combination of fatigue, increased irritability, and feeling demoralised, may raise a healthy man or woman's risk of first-time cardiovascular...

    Feeling demoralised bad for your heart

    Young women smokers at chronic period pain risk

    Young women smokers at chronic period pain risk
    Women who take up smoking during their teenage years run a significantly heightened risk of developing chronic severe period pain, finds new research....

    Young women smokers at chronic period pain risk

    Lowering cholesterol with drugs good for heart: Study

    Lowering cholesterol with drugs good for heart: Study
    A popular but controversial cholesterol drug called Ezetimibe has been found to lower the number of cardiovascular events by 6.4 percent when administered...

    Lowering cholesterol with drugs good for heart: Study

    Common antibacterial in soap may harm liver

    Common antibacterial in soap may harm liver
    Long-term exposure to triclosan, found in soaps, shampoos, toothpastes and many other household items, may cause liver fibrosis and cancer, an alarming study suggests....

    Common antibacterial in soap may harm liver