How different malaria species live and act inside people in Burkina Faso
Research Project 1: Epidemiology of malaria species and their natural history in human hosts
This work uses mosquito blood meals and modern lab tests to learn how hard-to-detect malaria types like P. malariae and P. ovale behave in people so detection and treatment can improve.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Colorado State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fort Collins, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11386454 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As someone living in a malaria area, this project would test blood taken from mosquitoes to learn which malaria species are infecting people and how those infections change over time. The team will use sensitive molecular tests to pick up low-level and mixed infections that common tests often miss. They will focus on species with long or dormant stages (P. malariae and P. ovale) and study how those species respond to current antimalarial drugs. The work is tied to ongoing surveillance in Burkina Faso and nearby sites to map where these infections persist and how they interact with P. falciparum.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living in malaria-endemic communities in Burkina Faso (and similar West African areas), especially those with recent fever or who are part of local surveillance efforts, would be the ideal candidates to contribute samples or participate.
Not a fit: People who live outside the study region or who are not exposed to local mosquito transmission are unlikely to directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to better detection and treatment plans for malaria types that are currently missed by routine tests.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work has shown non-falciparum infections are common but using mosquito blood-meal testing (xenosurveillance) to map these infections is relatively new with promising early results.
Where this research is happening
Fort Collins, United States
- Colorado State University — Fort Collins, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ouedraogo, Jean Bosco — Colorado State University
- Study coordinator: Ouedraogo, Jean Bosco
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.