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Sickle Cell Trait May Filter Which Malaria Parasites Infect People
Key Takeaways
- A new study published in Nature Microbiology examined the genetics of more than 2,000 people in Mfou, Cameroon, alongside the malaria parasites infecting them.
- Two copies of the sickle cell genetic variant cause sickle cell disease, while a single copy protects against malaria — a long-recognized evolutionary trade-off.
- People with the sickle cell variant were almost exclusively infected by a distinct variety of malaria parasites, which may help explain their lower rates of disease.
- Senior author Sandrine Nsango says the trait may protect not only by changing host response to infection but also by shaping which parasites survive and establish infection.
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DT Editorial Team··via medicalxpress.com