Millions Face Death As Malaria Drug Loses Potency’

Posted by Mgbenka at Friday, April 06, 2012 |

Millions of lives are at risk as one of the best drugs used to treat malaria is losing its potency, say experts.

Resistant strains of the deadliest and most common form of the disease have been confirmed on the border of Thailand and Burma.

Tests revealed that the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum has undergone a genetic change making it resistant to artemisinin, one of the world’s most popular drug treatments.

Tests revealed that the malaria parasite, has undergone a genetic change making it resistant to one of the most popular drug treatments

Experts now fear if it cannot be defeated thousands more lives could be lost to the disease, as drug-resistant strains of the virus could potentially spread across India and Africa.

Lead researcher, Professor Francois Nosten, director of the Shoklo Malaria Research Unit in Thailand, said: “This is very worrying indeed and suggests that we are in a race against time to control malaria in these regions before drug resistance worsens and develops and spreads further.

“The effect of that happening could be devastating. Malaria already kills hundreds of thousands of people a year. If our drugs become ineffective, this figure will rise dramatically.”