A Research Agenda to Underpin Malaria Eradication

Abstract

Pedro Alonso and colleagues introduce the Malaria Eradication Research Agenda (malERA) initiative and the set of articles published in this PLoS Medicine Supplement that distill the research questions key to malaria eradication.

In vitro inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum early and late stage gametocyte viability by extracts from eight traditionally used South African plant species

“…In the current era of renewed calls for malaria elimination and eradication, there is a need to devise new strategies to complement current interventions (Roberts and Enserink, 2007). One such identified strategy is to block transmission from the human host to the mosquito vector (Alonso et al, 2011).…”

Challenges of malaria diagnosis in clinical settings and disease surveillance under reduced malaria burden in Tanzania

“…This shows that febrile illnesses are still highly prevalent in Tanzania despite the reported decline in malaria and that, unlike in the past when malaria was highly endemic, nonmalarial causes have taken precedence as the main causes of febrile illnesses [14,15]. The decline in malaria burden poses challenges for the diagnosis of malaria from the perspectives of parasite diagnosis and interpretations of the diagnoses of malarial and non-malarial fevers by prescribers and clients in clinical settings and disease surveillance [16].…”

Highlights of a Symposium, Malaria: Where are we Today, Where are we Going?

“…the SERCaP concept of Single Encounter Radical Cure and Prevention [17]. The consultative group has searched for new research questions and knowledge gaps in the field of antimalarial drugs and focused on drugs that could be used for eradication and not, as has been the primary goal in the past, control.…”

“…About 1.2 billion people (one-fifth of the world's population) were living in areas with high risk of transmission [3]. In 1955, the World Health Organization (WHO) embarked on the Global Malaria Eradication Program (GMEP).…”