PLoS medicine
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Malaria remains a serious health problem because resistance develops to all currently used drugs when their parasite targets mutate. Novel antimalarial drug targets are urgently needed to reduce global morbidity and mortality. Our prior results suggested that inhibiting erythrocyte Gs signaling blocked invasion by the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. ⋯ Together these data establish that, in addition to invasion, erythrocyte G protein signaling is needed for intracellular parasite proliferation and thus may present a novel antimalarial target. The results provide proof of the concept that erythrocyte Gs antagonism offers a novel strategy to fight infection and that it has potential to be used to develop combination therapies with existing antimalarials.
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The primary goal of the recently launched Malaria Atlas Project is to develop the science of malaria cartography.
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There has been growing recognition in the international community that health should be considered a human right. Much less attention has been paid, however, to the ensuing legal obligation to provide international assistance.