Evolutionary and Historical Aspects of the Burden of Malaria (original) (raw)

An overview of natural history of the human malaria

2020

Malaria has troubled humans for thousands of years. Disease resembling malaria has been described for more than 5000 years. Malaria is currently endemic in more than 100 tropical and subtropical countries. The etymology of malaria is derived from mal aria means bad air in medieval Italian. This is because ancient Romans thought that malaria came from fumes in the swamps. Over 25 distinct species of Plasmodium are identified for transmission of malaria in primates but only four species of Plasmodium are responsible for human malaria viz. Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium vivax. Sometimes humans may infect with Plasmodium knowlesi (also called traveler’s malaria or monkey malaria) that normally infect animals. Plasmodium knowlesi is prevalent in Southeast Asia, especially Malaysia. Out of which malaria due to Plasmodium falciparum (also called cerebral malaria) is prevalent in tropical and subtropical countries and is most fatal. By study natu...

Malaria infection and human evolution

Le infezioni in medicina : rivista periodica di eziologia, epidemiologia, diagnostica, clinica e terapia delle patologie infettive, 2010

During the evolution of the genus Homo, with regard to the species habilis, erectus and sapiens, malaria has played a key biological role in influencing human development. The plasmodia causing malaria have evolved in two ways, in biological and phylogenetic terms: Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale appear to have either coevolved with human mankind, or encountered human species during the most ancient phases of Homo evolution; on the other hand, Plasmodium falciparum has been transmitted to humans by monkeys in a more recent period, probably between the end of the Mesolithic and the beginning of the Neolithic age. The authors show both direct and indirect biomolecular evidence of malarial infection, detected in buried subjects, dating to ancient times and brought to light in the course of archaeological excavations in major Mediterranean sites. In this review of the literature the authors present scientific evidence confirming the role of malaria in affectin...

Evolutionary outlook on the impending endgame of malaria

International Journal of Mosquito Research, 2023

Malaria is a highly debilitating vector-borne parasitic infection which has been known to be mortal and morbid to human beings for centuries now. As of today, the success rate of effective control strategies is less; however there have been several riveting developments. These include: 1. A global incidence of decrease in malaria cases; 2. The development of several non-malaria transmissible transgenic mosquitoes and 3. The launch of the vaccine has been a game changer as it is now being given to children with the success rate being high. In this review, we discuss if the current control strategies in place and the launch of the vaccine and its speculated success in children has become/been a game changer. Our take on the coevolution of parasites and vector can be the answer to the questions above. We highlight that parasites and vectors have evolved together for millions of years now, and to break this liaison will not be as easy.

The origin of malignant malaria

Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences, 2009

Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malignant malaria, is among the most severe human infectious diseases. The closest known relative of P. falciparum is a chimpanzee parasite, Plasmodium reichenowi, of which one single isolate was previously known. The co-speciation hypothesis suggests that both parasites evolved separately from a common ancestor over the last 5-7 million years, in parallel with the divergence of their hosts, the hominin and chimpanzee lineages. Genetic analysis of eight new isolates of P. reichenowi, from wild and wild-born captive chimpanzees in Cameroon and Cô te d'Ivoire, shows that P. reichenowi is a geographically widespread and genetically diverse chimpanzee parasite. The genetic lineage comprising the totality of global P. falciparum is fully included within the much broader genetic diversity of P. reichenowi. This finding is inconsistent with the co-speciation hypothesis. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that all extant P. falciparum populations originated from P. reichenowi, likely by a single host transfer, which may have occurred as early as 2-3 million years ago, or as recently as 10,000 years ago. The evolutionary history of this relationship may be explained by two critical genetic mutations. First, inactivation of the CMAH gene in the human lineage rendered human ancestors unable to generate the sialic acid Neu5Gc from its precursor Neu5Ac, and likely made humans resistant to P. reichenowi. More recently, mutations in the dominant invasion receptor EBA 175 in the P. falciparum lineage provided the parasite with preference for the overabundant Neu5Ac precursor, accounting for its extreme human pathogenicity.

Malaria infection and the anthropological evolution

Saúde e Sociedade, 2010

During the evolution of the genus Homo, with regard to species habilis, erectus and sapiens, malaria infection played a key biological role, influencing the anthropological development too. Plasmodia causing malaria developed two kinds of evolution, according to a biological and philogenetical point of view. In particular, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae, and Plasmodium ovale, would have either coevolved with human mankind (coevolution), or reached human species during the most ancient phases of genus Homo evolution. On the other hand, Plasmodium falciparum has been transmitted to humans by monkeys in a more recent period, probably between the end of Mesolithic and the beginning of Neolithic age. The authors show both direct and indirect biomolecular evidences of malaria infection, detected in buried subjects, dating to the Ancient World, and brought to light in the course of archeological excavations in some relevant Mediterranean sites. In this literature review the Authors ...

From the Cover: The origin of malignant malaria

Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences, 2009

Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malignant malaria, is among the most severe human infectious diseases. The closest known relative of P. falciparum is a chimpanzee parasite, Plasmodium reichenowi, of which one single isolate was previously known. The co-speciation hypothesis suggests that both parasites evolved separately from a common ancestor over the last 5-7 million years, in parallel with the divergence of their hosts, the hominin and chimpanzee lineages. Genetic analysis of eight new isolates of P. reichenowi, from wild and wild-born captive chimpanzees in Cameroon and Cô te d'Ivoire, shows that P. reichenowi is a geographically widespread and genetically diverse chimpanzee parasite. The genetic lineage comprising the totality of global P. falciparum is fully included within the much broader genetic diversity of P. reichenowi. This finding is inconsistent with the co-speciation hypothesis. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that all extant P. falciparum populations originated from P. reichenowi, likely by a single host transfer, which may have occurred as early as 2-3 million years ago, or as recently as 10,000 years ago. The evolutionary history of this relationship may be explained by two critical genetic mutations. First, inactivation of the CMAH gene in the human lineage rendered human ancestors unable to generate the sialic acid Neu5Gc from its precursor Neu5Ac, and likely made humans resistant to P. reichenowi. More recently, mutations in the dominant invasion receptor EBA 175 in the P. falciparum lineage provided the parasite with preference for the overabundant Neu5Ac precursor, accounting for its extreme human pathogenicity.

Malaria Genetic and Evolutionary Aspects

2006

J.B.S. Haldane (1892-1964).- Removal of Early Parasite Forms from Circulation as a Mechanism of Resistance Against Malaria in Widespread Red Blood Cell Mutations.- Clinical, Epidemiological, and Genetic Investigations on Thalassemia and Malaria in Italy.- Resistance to Antimalarial Drugs: Parasite and Host Genetic Factors.- Evolutionary Origins of Human Malaria Parasites.- Vector Genetics in Malaria Control.- The Rate of Mutations of Human Genes.- Disease and Evolution.