Research:

Malaria:

Malaria in humans is caused by one of four protozoan species of the genus Plasmodium: P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, or P. malariae. All species are transmitted by the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. Occasionally, transmission occurs by blood transfusion or congenitally from mother to fetus. Although malaria can be a fatal disease, illness and death from malaria are largely preventable.

Malaria is a major international public health problem, causing 300–500 million infections worldwide and approximately 1 million deaths annually.

Malaria transmission occurs in large areas of Central and South America, Hispaniola, Africa, Asia (including the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East), Eastern Europe, and the South Pacific).

The World Health Organization estimates that yearly 300-500 million cases of malaria occur and more than 1 million people die of malaria. About 1,200 cases of malaria are diagnosed in the United States each year. Most cases in the United States are in immigrants and travelers returning from malaria-risk areas, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent.

Humans get malaria from the bite of a malaria-infected mosquito. When a mosquito bites an infected person, it ingests microscopic malaria parasites found in the person’s blood. The malaria parasite must grow in the mosquito for a week or more before infection can be passed to another person.

Malaria is characterized by fever and influenza like symptoms, including chills, headache, myalgias, and malaise; these symptoms can occur at intervals. Malaria may be associated with anemia and jaundice, and P. falciparum infections can cause seizures, mental confusion, kidney failure, coma, and death. Malaria symptoms can develop as early as 6 days after initial exposure in a malaria-endemic area and as late as several months after departure from a malarias area, after chemoprophylaxis has been terminated.

Humans get malaria from the bite of a malaria-infected mosquito. When a mosquito bites an infected person, it ingests microscopic malaria parasites found in the person’s blood. The malaria parasite must grow in the mosquito for a week or more before infection can be passed to another person.

Malaria in Sudan:

Sudan is the largest country in Africa. In Sudan Malaria is one of the most serious health problems, accounting for 50-70 % of all infectious disease. All four types of human malaria have been reported in Sudan but the predominant parasite species is P. falciparum which is responsible for >95 % of the reported malaria cases (central and eastern Sudan ), followed in descending order by P. vivax which is reported in eastern Sudan and close to Ethiopian border P. malariae and the relatively rare P. ovale are reported in southern Sudan.

Ongoing research:

1.Genetic role of host in susceptibility to Malaria (Abier Elzein).

2.Haplotype structure of chromosome 5q31-33 among selected populations from Eastern      Sudan

3. Looking for possible polymorphisms within IL4 gene promoter region (Mervat Elshikh)

4. Genotyping of Nitric Oxide Synthase promoter polymorphisms among selected ethnic group in Eastern Sudan (Badria Mohamed Said).