Targeting parasite-mediated host hemoglobin degradation in malaria.

Malaria is a major infectious disease in the tropics, with more than 300 million clinical cases reported annually. A vaccine for malaria does not exist, making the use of drugs for disease prophylaxis and treatment the only option available. The malaria parasite Plasmodium resides primarily within the host erythrocyte, where it exploits host cell components to meet its needs for life-cycle development. One of the most predominant and parasite-specific processes that occurs during this development is a rapid and organized degradation of the hemoglobin content of infected cells. Given that this parasite-mediated catabolization is critical for the growth of Plasmodium within the host cell, the degradation of hemoglobin has become one of the most well-established targets for antimalarial drug discovery.