Monitoring parasite diversity for malaria elimination in sub-Saharan Africa

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

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

37 Citations (Scopus)

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.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1297-1298
Number of pages2
JournalScience
Volume345
Issue number6202
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 12 Sep 2014

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