Malaria Altering Host Attractiveness and Mosquito Feeding

Abstract

Several studies have suggested that malaria parasites stack the odds of transmission in their favour by manipulating the attraction profiles of their hosts. A recent study provides evidence that a specific parasite factor, (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl pyrophosphate, may increase both the attractiveness of infected vertebrates and the susceptibility of mosquitoes to infection.