News
ICViewExpert PerspectivesMedical World NewsPathogen PlaybookVideosWebinars
Conference CoverageConference ListingAPIC Chapters
Infection Control TodaySupplements And Featured Publications
CME/CEEditorial Advisory BoardJob BoardPartnersSponsoredWhitepapers
Subscribe
Educator of the Year Official Rules2024 Educator of the Year Winner2023 Educator of the Year WinnerEducator of the Year
Advanced TechnologyAdvanced TechnologyAdvanced Technology
Bug of the Month
COVID-19
Environmental ServicesEnvironmental Services
HAIs
Hand Hygiene
IC Trends
Long-Term CareLong-Term Care
Operating Room
Personal Protective EquipmentPersonal Protective Equipment
Policy
PreventionPreventionPreventionPrevention
Sterile ProcessingSterile Processing
Surface Disinfection
Vascular Access
Spotlight -
  • IC Trends
  • Bug of the Month
  • Featured Articles
  • Featured Columns
  • Pathogen Playbook
Advanced TechnologyAdvanced TechnologyAdvanced Technology
Bug of the Month
COVID-19
Environmental ServicesEnvironmental Services
HAIs
Hand Hygiene
IC Trends
Long-Term CareLong-Term Care
Operating Room
Personal Protective EquipmentPersonal Protective Equipment
Policy
PreventionPreventionPreventionPrevention
Sterile ProcessingSterile Processing
Surface Disinfection
Vascular Access
    • News
    • Subscribe
Advertisement

Malaria's Weakest Link Identified

March 8, 2011
Article

A group of researchers from EPFL's Global Health Institute (GHI) and Inserm (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, the French government agency for biomedical research) has discovered that a class of chemotherapy drugs originally designed to inhibit key signaling pathways in cancer cells also kills the parasite that causes malaria. The discovery could quickly open up a whole new strategy for combating this deadly disease.

The research, published online in the journal Cellular Microbiology, shows that the malaria parasite depends upon a signaling pathway present in the host initially in liver cells, and then in red blood cells in order to proliferate. The enzymes active in the signaling pathway are not encoded by the parasite, but rather hijacked by the parasite to serve its own purposes. These same pathways are targeted by a new class of molecules developed for cancer chemotherapy known as kinase inhibitors. When the GHI/Inserm team treated red blood cells infected with malaria with the chemotherapy drug, the parasite was stopped in its tracks.

Professor Christian Doerig and his colleagues tested red blood cells infected with Plasmodium falciparum parasites and showed that the specific PAK-MEK signaling pathway was more highly activated in infected cells than in uninfected cells. When they disabled the pathway pharmacologically, the parasite was unable to proliferate and died. Applied in vitro, the chemotherapy drug also killed a rodent version of malaria (P. berghei), in both liver cells and red blood cells. This indicates that hijacking the host cell's signaling pathway is a generalized strategy used by malaria, and thus disabling that pathway would likely be an effective strategy in combating the many strains of the parasite known to infect humans.

Malaria infects 250 million and kills 1 million to 3 million people every year worldwide. Efforts to find a treatment have been marred by the propensity of the parasite to quickly develop drug resistance through selection of mutations. Once in the body, it hides from the immune system inside liver and blood cells, where it proliferates. The discovery that the parasite hijacks a signaling pathway in the host cell opens up a whole new strategy for fighting the disease. Instead of targeting the parasite itself, we could make the host cell environment useless to it, thus putting an end to the deadly cycle. Because this strategy uniquely targets host cell enzymes, the parasite will be deprived of a major modus operandi for development of drug resistance -- selection of mutations in the drug target.

Several kinase-inhibiting chemotherapy drugs are already used clinically, and many more have passed stage 1 and stage 2 clinical trials. Even though these drugs have toxic effects, they are still being used or considered for use over extended periods for cancer treatment. Using them to combat malaria would involve a much shorter treatment period, making the problem of toxicity less acute. The authors of the study suggest evaluating these drugs for antimalarial properties, thus drastically reducing the time and cost required to put this new malaria-fighting strategy into practice.

Newsletter

Stay prepared and protected with Infection Control Today's newsletter, delivering essential updates, best practices, and expert insights for infection preventionists.

Subscribe Now!
Recent Videos
Set of bright yellow sharps containers with biohazard labels and red lids used in clinics and hospitals for safe disposal of medical needles and waste.  (Adobe Stock 1521632893 by Maksim)
From Awareness to Action: Educating Staff on Sharps Safety Standards
Amanda Heitman, BSN, RN, CNOR (Photo courtesy of Amanda Heitman)
Championing Surgical Safety: A Perioperative Nurse’s Perspective on Infection Prevention
Set of bright yellow sharps containers with biohazard labels and red lids used in clinics and hospitals for safe disposal of medical needles and waste.  (Adobe Stock 1521632893 by Maksim)
Sharps Safety Starts With Communication, Not Just Devices
DJ Shannon, MPH, CIC, VA-BC, FAPIC
All About APIC’s New Guide That Tackles All Catheter-Associated Bloodstream Infections
Jordan Bastian, MPH, CIC, at APIC25
Germs in the Halls: Why Infection Preventionists Are Going Back to School
Jordan Bastian, MPH, CIC, at APIC25
Keeping Classrooms Cleaner: Infection Preventionists Step into Schools
Pathogen Playbook Presenter: Sharon Ward-Fore, BS, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC
Tried and True Infection Prevention Measures
Pathogen Playbook Presenter: Sharon Ward-Fore, BS, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC
Why All This Viral Activity?
Pathogen Playbook Presenter: Sharon Ward-Fore, BS, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC
Mycoplasma Pneumoniae: Bacteria-Caused Respiratory Tract Infections
Pathogen Playbook Presenter: Sharon Ward-Fore, BS, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC
Common Cold Symptoms and Statistics
Related Content
Advertisement

Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH; Brandon M. Gantt, MHA, CRCST, CHL, CER, LSSGBH; and Jill E. Holdsworth, MS, CIC, FAPIC, NREMT, CRCST, CHL, an infection preventionist in Atlanta, Georgia.

Better Alerts, Better Cleaning: Why IFU Updates and Borescope Protocols Must Be Built Into SPD Workflows

Tori Whitacre Martonicz
July 24th 2025
Article

Sterile processing departments are facing a new standard: clean is not clean unless you can see it. At HSPA 2025, experts emphasized that updated IFUs and borescope inspections must be built into routine workflows, not as extra tasks, but as core components of quality control and infection prevention.


Set of bright yellow sharps containers with biohazard labels and red lids used in clinics and hospitals for safe disposal of medical needles and waste.    (Adobe Stock 1521632893 by Maksim)

Building a Culture of Sharps Safety Requires More Than Just Tools

Tori Whitacre Martonicz
July 25th 2025
Podcast

Sharps safety isn’t just an operating room issue—it’s a system-wide concern that demands stronger policies, consistent reporting, and cross-departmental collaboration to truly protect health care workers.


UNESCO sign in Juodkrante, Lithuania (Adobe Stock by BOOCYS)

US Withdrawal From UNESCO Signals a Dangerous Step Back for Global Science

Infection Control Today® Editorial Staff
July 22nd 2025
Article

In a decision heavy with consequence and light on foresight, the US has once again chosen to walk away from UNESCO, leaving behind not just a seat at the table, but a legacy of global scientific leadership that now lies in question.


Set of bright yellow sharps containers with biohazard labels and red lids used in clinics and hospitals for safe disposal of medical needles and waste.  (Adobe Stock 1521632893 by Maksim)

Breaking the Cycle of Silence: Why Sharps Injuries Go Unreported and What Can Be Done

Tori Whitacre Martonicz
Published: July 24th 2025 | Updated: July 23rd 2025
Podcast

Despite decades of progress in health care safety, a quiet but dangerous culture still lingers: many health care workers remain afraid to report sharps injuries, fearing blame more than the wound itself.


A mother and child having online telemedicine consultation with remote doctor about cold and flu virus treatment.  (Adobe Stock 479767497 Studio Romantic)

Telemedicine's Transformative Role in PPE Distribution and Sterile Equipment Management

Stephan Hawke
July 22nd 2025
Article

In an era defined by digital transformation and post-pandemic urgency, telemedicine has evolved beyond virtual visits to become a vital infrastructure for delivering personal protective equipment (PPE) and managing sterile supplies. By enabling real-time forecasting, remote quality control, and equitable distribution, telemedicine is revolutionizing how health care systems protect both patients and providers.


Set of bright yellow sharps containers with biohazard labels and red lids used in clinics and hospitals for safe disposal of medical needles and waste. (Adobe Stock 1521632893 by Maksim)

Reducing Hidden Risks: Why Sharps Injuries Still Go Unreported

Tori Whitacre Martonicz
July 18th 2025
Article

Despite being a well-known occupational hazard, sharps injuries continue to occur in health care facilities and are often underreported, underestimated, and inadequately addressed. A recent interview with sharps safety advocate Amanda Heitman, BSN, RN, CNOR, a perioperative educational consultant, reveals why change is overdue and what new tools and guidance can help.

Related Content
Advertisement

Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH; Brandon M. Gantt, MHA, CRCST, CHL, CER, LSSGBH; and Jill E. Holdsworth, MS, CIC, FAPIC, NREMT, CRCST, CHL, an infection preventionist in Atlanta, Georgia.

Better Alerts, Better Cleaning: Why IFU Updates and Borescope Protocols Must Be Built Into SPD Workflows

Tori Whitacre Martonicz
July 24th 2025
Article

Sterile processing departments are facing a new standard: clean is not clean unless you can see it. At HSPA 2025, experts emphasized that updated IFUs and borescope inspections must be built into routine workflows, not as extra tasks, but as core components of quality control and infection prevention.


Set of bright yellow sharps containers with biohazard labels and red lids used in clinics and hospitals for safe disposal of medical needles and waste.    (Adobe Stock 1521632893 by Maksim)

Building a Culture of Sharps Safety Requires More Than Just Tools

Tori Whitacre Martonicz
July 25th 2025
Podcast

Sharps safety isn’t just an operating room issue—it’s a system-wide concern that demands stronger policies, consistent reporting, and cross-departmental collaboration to truly protect health care workers.


UNESCO sign in Juodkrante, Lithuania (Adobe Stock by BOOCYS)

US Withdrawal From UNESCO Signals a Dangerous Step Back for Global Science

Infection Control Today® Editorial Staff
July 22nd 2025
Article

In a decision heavy with consequence and light on foresight, the US has once again chosen to walk away from UNESCO, leaving behind not just a seat at the table, but a legacy of global scientific leadership that now lies in question.


Set of bright yellow sharps containers with biohazard labels and red lids used in clinics and hospitals for safe disposal of medical needles and waste.  (Adobe Stock 1521632893 by Maksim)

Breaking the Cycle of Silence: Why Sharps Injuries Go Unreported and What Can Be Done

Tori Whitacre Martonicz
Published: July 24th 2025 | Updated: July 23rd 2025
Podcast

Despite decades of progress in health care safety, a quiet but dangerous culture still lingers: many health care workers remain afraid to report sharps injuries, fearing blame more than the wound itself.


A mother and child having online telemedicine consultation with remote doctor about cold and flu virus treatment.  (Adobe Stock 479767497 Studio Romantic)

Telemedicine's Transformative Role in PPE Distribution and Sterile Equipment Management

Stephan Hawke
July 22nd 2025
Article

In an era defined by digital transformation and post-pandemic urgency, telemedicine has evolved beyond virtual visits to become a vital infrastructure for delivering personal protective equipment (PPE) and managing sterile supplies. By enabling real-time forecasting, remote quality control, and equitable distribution, telemedicine is revolutionizing how health care systems protect both patients and providers.


Set of bright yellow sharps containers with biohazard labels and red lids used in clinics and hospitals for safe disposal of medical needles and waste. (Adobe Stock 1521632893 by Maksim)

Reducing Hidden Risks: Why Sharps Injuries Still Go Unreported

Tori Whitacre Martonicz
July 18th 2025
Article

Despite being a well-known occupational hazard, sharps injuries continue to occur in health care facilities and are often underreported, underestimated, and inadequately addressed. A recent interview with sharps safety advocate Amanda Heitman, BSN, RN, CNOR, a perioperative educational consultant, reveals why change is overdue and what new tools and guidance can help.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
x
Advertise
About Us
Editorial Board
Contact Us
Job Board
Terms and Conditions
Privacy
Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Contact Info

2 Commerce Drive
Cranbury, NJ 08512

609-716-7777

© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.
Home
About Us
News