Malaria is a parasitic disease
Malaria symptoms include high fever, chills, flu-like symptoms, and anemia. It is caused by a parasite that is transmitted from one human to another through the bite of an infected mosquito. These parasites multiply in our body’s red blood cells which rupture within 48 to 72 hours, infecting even more red blood cells. The first symptoms usually appear between 10 days and 4 weeks after infection, although in some cases they can take up to a year to manifest.
Cerebral malaria occurs when blood cells filled with parasites block the small blood vessels that lead to the brain. This can create swelling of your brain or brain damage. Symptoms of cerebral malaria include seizures or, in some cases, coma. About 20% of those with this disease die, while another 20% suffer permanent brain damage.
malaria statistics
In 2008, the disease caused almost a million deaths, mainly among African children. In the country, the disease accounts for 20% of all child deaths. It is most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, but is also a problem in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and parts of Europe.
Malaria can cause a significant economic burden in countries with a high prevalence of the disease. For these countries, the gross domestic product (GDP) can decrease by as much as 1.3%. It disproportionately affects poor people who cannot afford treatment or have limited access to healthcare.
nitric oxide treatment
The big problem with cerebral malaria is determining the 2% of people who are susceptible to the disease and figuring out how to treat it. A study led by Dr. Kevin Kain may have the answer to both problems. People with cerebral malaria tend to have lower than normal nitric oxide (NO) levels.
In a study by Dr. Kain and his fellow researchers, mice suffering from cerebral malaria were divided into two groups: one group was given standard malaria drugs while the other was given both the drug and nitric oxide. The mice that received the nitric oxide treatment showed a better survival rate.
Dr. Kain believes that increasing NO levels may prevent the release of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), a blood protein that stimulates the rupture of blood vessels and puts the patient at risk of severe and fatal malaria. This would protect the blood vessels in the brain, lessening the effects of malaria. Ang-2 also presents a potential key to detecting people with cerebral malaria. A simple blood test will reveal elevated Ang-2 levels in the body, and aggressive treatment involving nitric oxide can then be pursued.
The study
Although this is not the first time the role of NO in the treatment of malaria has been investigated, Kain’s study may be the closest nitric oxide comes to practical application. Her current study will provide antimalarial drugs to treat the infection to 180 children between the ages of one and 10. 90 of those children will also be given inhaled nitric oxide. The hope is that nitric oxide will give humans the same survivability that it gave mice. If her study is successful, nitric oxide may be available as a cost-effective malaria treatment!
