Malaria

Genetic Mutations Increase Susceptibility to Severe Disease

Published in TB and Outbreaks Week, July 4th, 2000

CD36 gene mutations occur with very high frequency in African populations, researchers report in the June 29 issue of the journal Nature. They say the mutations result in carriers being more susceptible to severe malaria.

The CD36 gene protein is a receptor for malarial parasite-infected red blood cells.

According to a Nature press release, Timothy J. Aitman of the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, London, U.K., and colleagues believe "that CD36 mutations in Africans are maintained by unidentified selection pressures, probably a prevalent infection, other than malaria."

Scientists hypothesize that...

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Source: TB and Outbreaks Week (2000-07-04)

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