Water & Health
Malaria stopped with single dose of new compound
By Michelle Roberts Scientists say they have found a new compound that stops malaria in animal studies with a single, low dose. Tests in mice showed the oneoff treatment prevented infection for the full 30 days of the study.
The chemical compound fought early infection in the liver, as well as malaria parasites that were circulating in the blood.
The researchers hope their early work, published in the journal, Nature, could lead to new drugs for people. Malaria is spread to humans by the bites of infected female mosquitoes and it is estimated that about half of the world’ s population is at risk of catching the disease.
In 2015, there were 214 million new cases of malaria and 438,000 malaria deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
Aside from avoiding bites by using insecticides and bed nets, people can protect themselves against malaria by taking antimalarial drugs.
But existing treatments are less than perfect- people have to take repeated doses and the parasites that cause malaria are developing resistance to these drugs. Need for new drugs
Along the Cambodia-Thailand border, one type of malaria parasite- P. falciparum- has become resistant to almost all available antimalarial medicines.
Dr Nobutaka Kato and colleagues, from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, searched a library of more than 100,000 compounds for a new treatment. They were hunting for something that would work in an entirely new way to existing drugs.
The compound they found targets an enzyme called phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase and appears to wipe out parasites before they can multiple in the liver and be released in bigger numbers into the bloodstream. Lead researcher Prof Stuart Schreiber hopes the findings will lead to the discovery of better antimalarials in coming years.
He said:“ We invite the scientific community to use this database as a jumping off point for their work developing antimalarial therapies.”
The work was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Prof David Baker of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine said the findings were exciting.
“ The advantage of a single dose antimalarial is that it potentially reduces costs and removes the issue of patients not completing the course of treatment.
“ One of the safety tests they ran on the new compounds gave results suggesting that there may be a degree of toxicity in human cells, but hopefully the chemists will be able to modify the compounds to remove this issue.”
Michelle Roberts is the Health editor, BBC News
Hepatitis A and Drinking Water from Private Wells
What is Hepatitis A?
Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that results from infection with the Hepatitis A virus. It can range in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a severe illness lasting several months. Hepatitis A is usually spread when a person ingests fecal matter – even in microscopic amounts – from contact with objects, food, or drinks contaminated by the feces, or stool, of an infected person.
Where and how does Hepatitis A virus get into drinking water?
Hepatitis A can be found throughout the world. Wells, if properly installed and maintained, provide a safe source of water. When any water source, including private wells, is contaminated with feces from infected humans, the water can potentially spread the Hepatitis A virus. The virus can enter the water through various ways, including sewage overflows, sewage systems that are not working properly, and polluted storm water runoff. Wells may be more vulnerable to such contamination after flooding, particularly if the wells are shallow, have been dug or bored, or have been submerged by floodwater for long periods of time.
How do I remove Hepatitis A from my drinking water?
To kill or inactivate Hepatitis A, bring your water to a rolling boil for one minute( at elevations above 6,500 feet,
36 Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene • November- December 2016