RNA and malaria pathogenesis

Malaria was described in ancient Chinese and Indian literature about 3000 years ago. It is a vector borne disease caused by apicomplexan parasites of Plasmodium species. In Sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia and Central America, malaria still poses major threat to human health. There is urgent need to develop potent therapeutics against malaria due to lack of effective vaccine and emergence of drug resistant forms of Plasmodium species. In the last decade, there is renaissance in developing RNA based prophylactic agents against cancer, metabolic and genetic disorders. Advances in RNA medicine may provide new solutions to diagnose and treat patients infected with drug resistant forms of invading pathogens causing diseases like tuberculosis, malaria and other viral infections. The role of RNA guided genetic manipulation system CRISPR-Cas based genomic editing has been used for gene drive against mosquito that transmits malaria parasite. This chapter focuses on current status of RNA based therapeutics and potential of RNA medicine against malaria.