Disease

Malaria treatment fails in Cambodia

Malaria-carrying parasites in parts of Cambodia have developed resistance to a major drug used to treat the disease in Southeast Asia, according to research published on Thursday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal.

The drug piperaquine, used in combination with the drug artemisinin, has been the main form of malaria treatment in Cambodia since 2008.

The combination is also one of the few treatments still effective against multi drug-resistant malaria which has emerged in Southeast Asia in recent years, and which experts fear may spread to other parts of the world.

Resistance to both artemisinin and drugs used in combination with it has developed in parts of Cambodia and Thailand.

Experts are particularly concerned that artemisinin resistance will spread to sub-Saharan Africa where about 90 percent of malaria cases and deaths occur.

Disease

Malaria in Kenya

Kerio Valley town, Marakwet East constituency has once more recorded a high number of malaria infections, with hospitals complaining about overcrowding due to the outbreak.

More than 100 people have undergone laboratory tests with results indicating that they had been infected with malaria.

There are not enough medical personnel and drugs to address the outbreak of the disease. The local hospital only has a total of 27 beds.(sic) Local officials have asked the Government to speedily assist with the outbreak.

Disease

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the malaria outbreak in Greece continues to grow, reaching areas of the country where the parasitic disease has not been previously reported.

Wildlife

Six penguins have died in a malaria outbreak in the London Zoo. The birds contracted the avian strain of the disease from mosquitoes.