How bacteria can stop Malaria?

Many deadly diseases that are transmitted by mosquitoes from dengue fever to malaria. Not surprisingly, the researchers looked for the way to prevent a disease vector mosquitoes. In contrast to other researchers who tried to kill or control the mosquito population, a researchers team from Michigan State University to develop a vaccine for malaria mosquitoes.

Anopheles stephensi.
(Picture from: http://freakscientistworld.wordpress.com/)

In a paper published in the journal Science, the research team showed that the transmission of malaria by mosquitoes to humans can be prevented by inserting a strain of bacteria Wolbachia in insects. Wolbachia would be a vaccine for the mosquito that will protect them from the malaria parasite.

Treating mosquito means would prevent the insects transmit malaria to humans. In 2010, as many as 219 million people are infected with this disease and led to 660 thousand people died.

"Wolbachia-based malaria control strategies have been discussed over the last two decades," said Zhiyong Xi, faculty micro-biology and molecular genetics at Michigan State University. "This research is the first to show that Wolbachia can live stable in important malaria vector, the mosquito species Anopheles stephensi, thus opening opportunities for using Wolbachia as a malaria control."

Xi's team shows how Wolbachia can be carried by the mosquito vectors of malaria and how insects can spread bacteria throughout the mosquito population. Researchers also showed that the bacteria can prevent mosquitoes transfer malaria parasites to humans.

"We developed a stable Wolbachia infected mosquitoes," said Xi. "Mosquitoes will be released to the uninfected population and result in Wolbachia-infected mosquito populations." Key malaria research is to identify the exact species of Wolbachia, namely wAlbB, and injected into the fetus mosquitoes. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SCIENCEDAILY | TJANDRA DEWI | KORAN TEMPO 4231]

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