Parasite That Causes Malaria Extracts Fatty Acids From Human Hosts for Growth
Malaria has a large global burden, affecting hundreds of millions of people each year.
Stay updated with breaking news from Michael Klemba. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
Malaria has a large global burden, affecting hundreds of millions of people each year.
New research could lead to a new way to fight malaria, one of the most devastating infectious diseases in the world.
<p>Virginia Tech researchers in the <a href="http://www.cals.vt.edu/">College of Agriculture and Life Sciences</a> found that by preventing the malaria parasite from scavenging fatty acids, a type of required nutrient, it could no longer grow. The research was published Tuesday by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America and was funded by a National Institutes of Health grant, United States Department of Agriculture Hatch funding, and through the Department of Biochemistry at Virginia Tech.</p>
Experts told USA TODAY that hydroxychloroquine, a synthetic drug, cannot be made from fruit.