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| EDITORIAL |
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| Year : 2021 | Volume
: 11
| Issue : 1 | Page : 1-2 |
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The persistent challenges of malaria
Subhash Chandra Parija
Vice Chancellor, Sri BalajiVidyapeeth (A Deemed to be University), Puducherry, India
| Date of Submission | 06-Apr-2021 |
| Date of Acceptance | 10-Apr-2021 |
| Date of Web Publication | 13-May-2021 |
Correspondence Address:
Subhash Chandra Parija
Vice Chancellor, Sri BalajiVidyapeeth (A Deemed to be University), Puducherry
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/tp.tp_29_21
How to cite this article:
Parija SC. The persistent challenges of malaria. Trop Parasitol 2021;11:1-2 |
Malaria is a disease of the antiquity, and even in the modern era of the 21st century, it remains a burning or a smoldering public health issue in the endemic regions of the world. The classical manifestations of disease described in the textbooks are being gradually replaced by atypical features which have come to light in the past two to three decades. The benign nature of vivax malaria is not always evident in multiple recently reported cases. In addition to that, some of the features of severe malaria which at one time was the domain of falciparum infection are also being exhibited by the fifth malaria parasite, Plasmodium knowlesi. Although being controlled to a large extent, India still remains an endemic country and the available statistics of malaria may not reflect the true burden of the disease for multiple reasons. These include, among others, underreporting, empirical treatment with antimalarials without proper testing, and the presence of asymptomatic malaria cases in hyperendemic tribal pockets.
This issue of Tropical Parasitology is a thematic issue on malaria as evidenced by the choice of original articles, all of which deal with this particular disease. In addition, we have started two new features in the journal starting with this issue. One is a brief biography of an eminent parasitologist and the other being the write-up of the orations delivered every year at the National Conference of the Indian Academy of Tropical Parasitology (TROPACON). For the present issue, we have chosen the Oration delivered at the TROPACON held in 2020. The Presidential Oration delivered by Prof. SC Parija deals with molecular diagnosis of parasitic infections in the post-COVID-19 era[1] A review article has been included on the water-borne outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis.[2] In the new feature on the biography, the life and works of the eminent but almost forgotten parasitologist and zoologist, Battista Grassi, have been highlighted.[3]
In the original research articles, we have four articles on malaria. One of them is on the pathophysiology of malaria – dealing with the role of L-cysteine in the pathogenesis,[4] The clinical profile of malaria in a referral center[5] and the occurrence of COVID-19 among patients attending a dedicated malaria clinic[6],[7] are the subjects of another two articles. The fourth article is an experimental study on the anti-Plasmodium falciparum activity of the plant extract of Phyllanthus amarus and toxicity in a mouse model.[6],[7]
Among the dispatches, there are reports of Fasciola hepatica associated with gallbladder malignancy,[8] unusual blood picture in a case of P. falciparum,[9] and a case of sparganosis presenting as a soft-tissue tumor.[10] Pulmonary cryptosporidiosis in a patient with gastric malignancy,[11] a case of primary pelvic echinococcosis,[12] and Strongyloides infection in a malnourished child with celiac disease[13] make up the other dispatches.
Prof. Alynne Da Silva Barbosa from Brazil features in our regular face-to-face[14] category where we publish the E-mail interview with an eminent parasitologist. Her main area of research is Balantioides coli, apart from other protozoan parasites. The diary of forthcoming events has not been published in this issue given the uncertain times we are still witnessing around the globe.
We sincerely believe that the readers will find the articles interesting, including the new features which we have started from this issue.
 References | |  |
| 1. | Parija SC, Abhijit P. Molecular diagnosis of infectious parasites in the post-COVID-19 era. Trop Parasitol 2021;11:3-10.  [Full text] |
| 2. | Gururajan A, Rajkumari N, Devi U, Borah P. Cryptosporidium and waterborne outbreaks – A mini review. Trop Parasitol 2021;11:11-5. [Full text] |
| 3. | Abhijit C. The forgotten malariologist: Giovanni Battista Grassi (1854–1925). Trop Parasitol 2021;11:16-8. |
| 4. | Sinha S, Gautam CS, Sehgal R. L-cysteine whethera nutritional booster or a radical scavenger for Plasmodium. Trop Parasitol 2021;11:19-24. [Full text] |
| 5. | Karoli R, Shakya S, Gupta N, Mittal V, Upadhyay AK. Clinical profile of malaria at a tertiary care teaching hospital in North India. Trop Parasitol 2021;11:25-30. [Full text] |
| 6. | Aliyu K, Mohammed Y, Abdullahi IN, Umar AA, Bashir F, Sani MN, et al. In vitro antiplasmodial activity of Phyllanthus amarus against Plasmodium falciparum and evaluation of its acute toxicity effect in mouse model. Trop Parasitol 2021;11:31-7. [Full text] |
| 7. | Guha SK, Biswas M, Gupta B, Acharya A, Halder S, Saha B, et al. A report on the incidence of COVID19 among febrile patients attending a malaria clinic. Trop Parasitol 2021;11:38-41. [Full text] |
| 8. | Swain B, Otta S, Sahu MK, Uthansingh K. Fasciola hepatica association with gallbladder malignancy: A rare case report. Trop Parasitol 2021;11:42-5. [Full text] |
| 9. | Chaudhry S, Arya A, Matlani M, Singh V, Meena SS. Pancytopenia with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in Plasmodium falciparum: A unusual presentation. Trop Parasitol 2021;11:46-8. [Full text] |
| 10. | Sharma S, Mahajan RK, Ram H, Karikalan M, Achra A. Sparganosis mimicking a softtissue tumor: A diagnostic challenge. Trop Parasitol 2021;11:49-52. [Full text] |
| 11. | Chaudhari K, Gurushankari B, Rajkumari N, Joseph NM, Amaranathan A, Sathasivam S, et al. Pulmonary cryptosporidiosis in a case of adenocarcinoma of stomach: A rare case report. Trop Parasitol 2021;11:53-5. [Full text] |
| 12. | Abhishek KS, Shrimali T, Tak V, Nag VL, Banerjee S, Khera S. Primary pelvic echinococcosis though uncommon but not rare. Trop Parasitol 2021;11:56-9. [Full text] |
| 13. | Verma U, Ashopa V, Nareda P, Gupta E, Gupta E, Prakash P. “ Strongyloids tercolaris infestation in a severely malnourished (SAM) celiac disease child:” A rare case report from Western Rajasthan. Trop Parasitol 2021;11:60-3. [Full text] |
| 14. | Barbosa AD. Face to face: Balantioides coli: A forgotten parasite. Trop Parasitol 2021;11:64-7. |
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