The female anopheline mosquito transmits the malaria parasite between human hosts.
Malaria remains a global crisis that kills 1 - 2 million people per year, mainly children under the age of 5 years old. In endemic countries, women also suffer from malaria during pregnancy, leading to high maternal morbidity, premature labour, and reduced birth-weight. Forty percent of the world's population is at risk of malaria, and each year more than 300 million people have acute clinical episodes. In recent times, failure of health systems in the poorest countries, and the emergence of mosquitoes resistant to insecticides and of malaria parasites resistant to cheap, widely available drugs have caused a breakdown in control programmes. In addition, population movements, development projects, conflict and environmental changes have increased the number of individuals at risk of malaria. Apart from the effects on individuals, malaria has a major impact on economic development, with an estimate that Africa's gross domestic product would be one third higher if malaria had been eliminated in 1965.
In the Asia Pacific region, over 1 billion people live at risk of malaria and recent re-calculation of global estimates suggest that 40% of cases of the deadly falciparum malaria occur in this geographic area. In Australia’s closest neighbour, Papua New Guinea, malaria is the commonest cause of outpatient presentation and equals pneumonia as a primary cause of death.
Australia has a commendable record in carrying out basic biomedical research into malaria, but unfortunately precious little of this has translated into measurable impact on the disease in our region. There are real opportunities to be explored in translating Australian scientific expertise into regional health outcomes.
For more information about this project or to make a donation, please contact Professor John Reeder on (03) 8502 2320 or email jreeder@burnet.edu.au