The research team of the Rega Institute in Kuleuven discovered a drug that could help fight the serious forms of malaria, the Louvanist University announced on Wednesday. This treatment, ruxolitinib, could in particular be used to combat inflammation and sugar deficiency developed in the event of severe malaria.
Until now, this treatment has only been tested on mice with malaria that had symptoms similar to those of human patients. In these mice, stress hormones, glucocorticoids, no longer worked properly, which caused an acute sugar and extreme inflammatory reactions. “This treatment has made it possible to avoid both sugar deficiency and inflammation. The drug blocks a harmful part of the immune system,” said Dr. Fran Prenen, a doctoral student involved in the project.
According to scientists, most people infected with malaria have only light symptoms. Some patients are however at risk of developing a more serious form of the disease, and 15 to 20% of them can succumb from the consequences of the infection. Thus, nearly 600,000 people die from malaria every year. The risk of infection remains high in particular in Africa and Amazon.
Initially, ruxolitinib is used to slow down certain forms of bone marrow cancer. Kuleuven researchers have identified similar symptoms and processes in patients with malaria, which could also make this treatment against malaria. More advanced analyzes concerning this potential connection will therefore be carried out.
Other studies should also make it possible to determine whether the positive results obtained in mice are also valid for human patients.
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