Scientists at Johns Hopkins research malaria transmission following positive case in Maryland
BALTIMORE - A team of scientists at Johns Hopkins Hospital are leading research efforts behind malaria transmission.
Maryland health leaders earlier this month reported a resident tested positive for malaria despite not traveling outside of the United States or to another state with recent malaria cases. It's the first case of malaria of that kind in decades.
A science lab at Johns Hopkins is where researchers are working to better understand the disease.
"So, in this facility here, we have two walk-in incubators where we raised the mosquitoes," said Dr. George Dimopoulos, the Deputy Director of Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute. "And these incubators are warmer and more humid than the regular lab in order to mimic a real malaria transmission environment."
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Dr. Dimopoulos is an expert on mosquitos and vector-borne diseases.
"There are many different aspects of mosquito biology that we are studying in order to eventually control the transmission of the malaria parasite, control the mosquitoes and find new ways to kill mosquitoes and avoid mosquitoes," Dr. Dimopoulos said.
Researchers never bring any live mosquitos out because it's what's inside that counts.
"We use genetic engineering in order to study the biology of the mosquitoes so we can turn on and off specific genes and see how that can affect the transmission," Dr. Dimopoulos said. "But we are also developing genetically modified mosquitoes that may one day be used for malaria control."
The researchers study different samples under a microscope.
"This is where we actually study the different samples that we collect from the insectary where we record the mosquitoes," Dr. Dimopoulos said. "This is where we study the DNA, the genetic material of the mosquitoes and the parasite."
Dr. Dimopoulos says that though Maryland saw its first case in decades, the chance for transmission is still low.
"The fact that we've only seen one case does not suggest that this is necessarily a new trend," Dr. Dimopoulos said. "However, we don't know how the future will look. And it is possible that climate change might change the abundance and prevalence of malaria, transmitting mosquitoes in the future."
For now, scientists say the best thing people can do is become more aware of mosquitoes and mosquito transmitted diseases in general, and continue using mosquito repellant.