Mosquito and cucumber salad anyone?

Do you live in a developed country and feel unconcerned about malaria? Perhaps you should think again. With the explosion of easy international travel, imported cases of malaria are reported more frequently. And the emergence of drug-resistant strains means the disease is appearing again in areas where it was previously under control. .

There has never been a greater need for innovative preventative measures and new anti-malarial drugs. But have we found an unlikely ally in a gelatinous blob from the bottom of the Ocean.

Malaria’s deadly toll

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by the plasmodium parasite that's transmitted by mosquitoes. Although malaria is largely a preventable and treatable disease, one person dies of malaria every 30 seconds. It rivals HIV and tuberculosis as the world's most deadly infection and the majority of its victims are under five years old.

Malaria causes severe illness in 500 million people worldwide each year, and kills more than one million. It is estimated that 40% of the world’s population are at risk. Malaria transmission occurs primarily in large areas of Central and South America, sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

In addition to an impact on individual health, malaria also has a significant socioeconomic impact. The disease causes an average loss of 1.3% annual economic growth in countries with a high incidence of infection. Furthermore, malaria has lifelong effects through increased poverty, impaired learning and decreased attendance in schools and the workplace. sted on the sky, are in reality found to be located at many different distances from earth, some closer and some further away.