The potential implications are profound, offering a new weapon against one of humanity's oldest diseases, which claims the lives of approximately 600,000 people annually. Currently undergoing safety assessments in real-world settings, the bacteria present a promising avenue for combatting malaria.
The revelation emerged at a research facility in Spain operated by the pharmaceutical company GSK. Scientists noted that a mosquito colony initially intended for drug development had ceased to carry the malaria parasite over time.
New findings published in Science magazine indicate that the bacteria can slash a mosquito's parasite load by up to 73%. The mechanism involves the bacteria secreting a molecule named harmane, which impedes the early stages of malaria parasite growth in the mosquito's gut.
Collaborating with Johns Hopkins University, GSK researchers found that harmane can be ingested orally by mosquitoes if mixed with sugar or absorbed through the insect's cuticle on contact.
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