Club EvMed: Evolution of diagnostic-resistant malaria in Africa

Join us for a conversation with Jonathan Parr, Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

Increasing reports from Africa confirm emergence of malaria parasites with mutations that allow them to escape detection by widely used malaria diagnostic tests. These parasites threaten progress toward malaria elimination and have prompted a coordinated response by the WHO. Dr. Parr's laboratory at UNC supports surveillance for these parasites across Africa and is applying novel sequencing approaches to study their evolution and spread.

Attendees are encouraged to read Feleke et al. 2021, "Plasmodium falciparum is evolving to escape malaria rapid diagnostic tests in Ethiopia" (doi: 10.1038/s41564-021-00962-4) and the WHO's statement by the Malaria Policy Advisory Group on the urgent need to address the high prevalence of pfhrp2/3 gene deletions in the Horn of Africa and beyond.

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