Malaria

  • Limitations of Haemozoin-Based Diagnosis of Plasmodium Falciparum Using Dark-Field Microscopy

    Background The haemozoin crystal continues to be investigated extensively for its potential as a biomarker for malaria diagnostics. In order for haemozoin to be a valuable biomarker, it must be present in detectable quantities in the peripheral blood and distinguishable from false positives. Here, dark-field microscopy coupled with sophisticated image processing algorithms is used to…

  • A mathematical model of the impact of present and future malaria vaccines

    Background With the encouraging advent of new malaria vaccine candidates, mathematical modelling of expected impacts of present and future vaccines as part of multi-intervention strategies is especially relevant. Methods The impact of potential malaria vaccines is presented utilizing the EMOD model, a comprehensive model of the vector life cycle coupled to a detailed mechanistic representation…

  • Mathematical Models of Within-Host and Transmission Dynamics to Determine Effects of Malaria Interventions in a Variety of Transmission Settings

    A model for Anopheles population dynamics and malaria transmission is combined with a within-host dynamics microsolver to study baseline transmission, the effects of seasonality, and the impact of interventions. The Garki Project is recreated in simulation of the pre-intervention baseline and the different combinations of interventions deployed. Modifications are introduced, and longer project duration, extension…

  • Malaria parasite diversity and transmission intensity affect development of parasitological immunity in a mathematical model

    Background The development of parasitological immunity against malaria affects the ability to detect infection, the efficiency of the local human parasite reservoir at infecting mosquitoes, and the response to reintroduction of parasites to previously cleared areas. Observations of similar age-trends in detected prevalence and mean parasitaemia across more than an order-of-magnitude of variation in baseline…

  • P. falciparum Infection Durations and Infectiousness Are Shaped by Antigenic Variation and Innate and Adaptive Host Immunity in a Mathematical Model

    Many questions remain about P. falciparum within-host dynamics, immunity, and transmission–issues that may affect public health campaign planning. These gaps in knowledge concern the distribution of durations of malaria infections, determination of peak parasitemia during acute infection, the relationships among gametocytes and immune responses and infectiousness to mosquitoes, and the effect of antigenic structure on…

  • A malaria transmission-directed model of mosquito life cycle and ecology

    Background Malaria is a major public health issue in much of the world, and the mosquito vectors which drive transmission are key targets for interventions. Mathematical models for planning malaria eradication benefit from detailed representations of local mosquito populations, their natural dynamics and their response to campaign pressures. Methods A new model is presented for…

  • A Research Agenda for Malaria Eradication: Modeling

    Malaria modeling can inform policy and guide research for malaria elimination and eradication from local implementation to global policy. A research and development agenda for malaria modeling is proposed, to support operations and to enhance the broader eradication research agenda. Models are envisioned as an integral part of research, planning, and evaluation, and modelers should…