Below is a excerpt from a newspaper article on malaria. Read the excerpt then an

Question

Below is a excerpt from a newspaper article on malaria. Read the excerpt then answer the following questions: (i) In evolutionary terms, what is happening to the malaria parasite?, (ii) What evolutionary reason do health workers have to recommend using a combination pill?, and (iii) Would sequential, rather then simultaneous, treatment with different antimalaria medicines be an equally effective strategy to protect against drug resistance? (10 points) SPREAD OP NIALARM FEARED AS DRUG LOSES POTENCY (Thomas hiller. New York Times, 26 Jan 2009) TASANII, Cambodia - The parasite that causes the deadliest form of malaria is showing the first signs of resistance to the best new drug against it. Combination treatments using artemisinin, an anthmtlaria drug extracted from a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine, have been hailed in recent years as the biggest hope for eradicating malaria from Africa, where more than 2,000 children die from the disease each day. Now n series of studies have cemented n consensus among researchers that artemisinin is losing its potency here and that increased efforts are needed to prevent the drug-resistant malaria from leaving here and spreading across the globe. To protect against artemisinin resistance, the global health authorities are trying to assure that it is sold only as a combination pill with other antimalaria medicines that linger longer in the blood, mopping up any artemisinin-resistant parasites.

Explanation / Answer

i)

A gain of function mutation causing drug resistance in malaria parasite is the major evolutionary change observed.

ii)

Resistance towards a specific drug make the health workers to suggest multiple drugs in a combination to treat the malarial disease.

iii)

Yes, since simultaneous drug administration may even suceptible to cause drug resistance. Hence a sequential combination of drug administration is recommended to avoid drug resistance and spread of the disease.

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