Plasmodium and Malaria

Question 1

What THREE scientists won the 2015 Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work into Malaria?

Answer 1

1. Tu Youyou
2. William Campbell
3. Satoshi Omura

Question 2

What anti-malarial drug did Tu Youyou develop?

Answer 2

Artemisinin

From the Sweet Wormwood (Artemisia annua) plant

Question 3

How many global cases of Malaria are there per year?

Answer 3

Approx. 200 million

Question 4

How many people die from Malaria per year?

Answer 4

Between 400,000 and 500,000

Question 5

What parasite causes Malaria?

Answer 5

Plasmodium falciparum

Question 6

What type of parasite is Plasmodium falciparum?

Answer 6

Protozoal parasite

Apicomplexa

Question 7

Who came up with the Endosymbiont Theory?

Answer 7

Lynn Margullis (1967)

Question 8

What event gave rise to the origin of Apicomplexa?

Answer 8

Secondary endosymbiosis.

Where one algae cell was engulfed by a secondary host.

Question 9

What is one of the key targets for anti-malarial drugs?

Answer 9

Apicoplasts

Question 10

What TWO major parasites cause Malaria in humans?

Answer 10

1. Plasmodium falciparum
2. Plasmodium vivax

Question 11

What mosquito species is most associated with spreading Malaria?

Answer 11

Anopheles gambiae

Question 12

What has been the most effective way at controlling the spread of Malaria?

Answer 12

Insect repellent treated mosquito nets

Question 13

What bacteria produce limburger volatiles that attract mosquitos?

Answer 13

Brevibacterium