Wits University Leads Scientific Charge to Eliminate Malaria in Africa
- FHS Communications
As the world commemorated Malaria Day on the 25th of April, and the global community intensified efforts to eradicate malaria,
the Faculty of Health Sciences is on the frontline of the battle. The Wits Research Institute for Malaria (WRIM) is expanding the scientific knowledge of vector biology, the study of organisms like mosquitoes that are responsible for the spread of diseases.
The research conducted at WRIM is developing novel methods to stop the spread of malaria. Africa accounts for 94% of all malaria infections and 95% of related deaths worldwide.
Due to human activity, water pollution has increased and climate change has intensified. These are two critical factors that could affect the biology of malaria vectors. Since 2016, WRIM has been investigating the effects of human activity on mosquitoes. WRIM is pushing the boundaries of what South Africa can do to eliminate malaria by understanding how mosquitoes adapt to a changing world.
From understanding the effect of pollution on vector mosquitoes, this institute has linked how several other factors affect mosquito behaviour. These factors include the effects of heavy metals, fertilisers, acids and soap. This demonstrates that materials commonly used in everyday life contain pollutants that could potentially increase insecticide resistance, making it harder to end malaria in South Africa.
“We have also characterised larval breeding sites in Mpumalanga and have demonstrated that more than one species has adapted to breeding in heavily polluted waters. We have also highlighted the effect of plastic pollution on South Africa’s key malaria vector, Anopheles arabiensis”, explains Dr Shüné Oliver, a researcher at WRIM.
Although this is bad news, Dr Oliver says that they have made strides in the development of new mechanisms of biocontrol. This is particularly important as synthetic pesticides are pollutants. Interestingly, malaria in South Africa is transmitted primarily outdoors, pointing out that using insecticide to prevent getting bitten by mosquitoes is not as effective as people think.
She says that is where paratransgenesis (genetically modified microorganisms) are used as a form of biocontrol.