Malaria Methods and Protocols

The Plasmodium spp. parasite was identified as the causative agent of malaria in 1880, and the mosquito was identified as the vector in 1897. Despite subsequent efforts focused on the epidemiology, cell biology, immunology, molecular biology, and clinical manifestations of malaria and the Plasmodium parasite, there is still no licensed vaccine for the prevention of malaria. Physical barriers (bed nets, window screens) and chemical prevention methods (insecticides and mosquito repellents) intended to interfere with the transmission of the disease are not highly effective, and the profile of resistance of the parasite to chemoprophylactic and chemotherapeutic agents is increasing. The dawn of the new millennium has seen a resurgence of interest in the disease by government and philanthropic organizations, but we are still faced with compl- ities of the parasite, the host, and the vector, and the interactions among them. Malaria Methods and Protocols offers a comprehensive collection of protocols describing conventional and state-of-the-art techniques for the study of malaria, as well as associated theory and potential problems, written by experts in the field. The major themes reflected here include assessing the risk of infection and severity of disease, laboratory models, diagnosis and typing, molecular biology techniques, immunological techniques, cell biology techniques, and field applications.

Despite considerable scientific and medical effort over the past decades, malaria remains the most important human parasitic disease. It is responsible for up to 3 million deaths and another 300-500 million new cases each year, and is becoming resistant to the current chemoprophylactic and chemotherapeutic agents. In Malaria Methods and Protocols, internationally respected scientists and clinicians describe in step-by-step detail their most useful conventional and cutting-edge techniques for the study of malaria. Areas covered include clinical and laboratory diagnosis and typing, animal models, molecular biology, immunology, cell biology, vaccinology, laboratory models, and field applications. Each readily reproducible protocol has been tested, standardized, and optimized for experimental success, and includes many laboratory notes on troubleshooting, avoiding pitfalls, and interpreting results. Several of the most widely used methods are either described here in detail for the first time or have been thoroughly updated since their original publication (e.g., in vitro culture of Plasmodium parasites and in vitro growth inhibition assay).
State-of-the-art and highly practical, Malaria Methods and Protocols makes available to basic and applied researchers today's only comprehensive collection of essential laboratory methods for diagnosing malaria, characterizing the parasite, understanding the interaction between the human host and Plasmodium parasite, and developing effective preventive measures.