Developing a new rapid diagnostic test for elimination of malaria

Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite known as Plasmodium falciparum. It affects millions of people each year. But many people who are infected with the Plasmodium parasite don't show any symptoms. To eliminate malaria, we need to detect and treat this parasite, particularly among those who are asymptomatic.

People who are asymptomatic may not realise they have an infection. If they're bitten by a mosquito, they could then transmit the parasite to others. This can lead to malaria infections in people with poor immunity, like children.

To address this, researchers have developed rapid diagnostic tests for malaria parasites. These tests analyse a drop of someone's blood to check if they're carrying Plasmodium. The tests use antibodies to capture and detect proteins produced by the parasite.

These tests can become less effective over time. To avoid being killed by drug treatments, some parasites no longer produce the proteins that are detected by diagnostic tests. Those parasites are now spreading globally.

To eliminate malaria, we need to develop new and effective tests. We're working to create a new rapid diagnostic test that detects malaria parasites.