Malaria resistance in Cambodia

Resistance to a drug considered to be the most effective in the world at stopping malaria has been found in Cambodia.

Malaria parasites are taking much longer to be killed than in the past in the western region of the country, according to researchers.

This could be an early sign of resistance to the disease becoming widespread, with the artemesinin family of drugs being less productive than before at controlling malaria.

Professor Nick Day, director of the Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit which is carrying out the study, stated: "Twice in the past, south-east Asia has made a gift, unwittingly, of drug resistant parasites to the rest of the world, in particular to Africa.

"If the same thing happens again, the spread of a resistant parasite from Asia to Africa, that will have devastating consequences for malaria control."

Around half of the world's population could be exposed to the disease in the worst-case scenario.

News brought to you by Global Health TV, connecting health communities