Close the prevention gap on World Malaria Day 2017 and save lives!

This year, the World Health Organisation has chosen "End Malaria for Good" as the aim of World Malaria Day.

While the most malaria prone parts of the world have hugely improved their battle against this mosquito borne disease, basic prevention tools are still unavailable to too many people.

The most important tools for malaria prevention focus on getting rid of the disease vector, mosquitos:

• Long lasting insecticide sprayed mosquitos nets (LLINs)
• Indoor residual spraying of insecticides (IRS)

LLIN mosquito nets are not even expensive; they cost US$2-5 per net and they last up to seven years.

Today, research is also being highlighted that shows that malaria treatment is in some cases being undermined by drug resistance to the most commonly used drug artemisinin. This justs undermines the importance of closing the gap on prevention.

Academics at UCL are undertaking research into malaria including:

• Regulating celluar immune responses to malaria
• Protein export by the malaria parasite
• Molecular interaction between brain vascular endolethium and malaria infected erythrocytes
• Understanding the links between toxins and the development of cerebral malaria