[ Nature Sounds ]
>> The Malaria parasite
is an ancient organism.
It has been with us since
before we were human.
Famous victims include Alexander
the Great, Genghis Khan,
and George Washington.
[ Nature Sounds ]
The Malaria life cycle follows
a devious path swapping back
and forth between
mosquitos and humans.
This mosquito is infected
with the Malaria parasite.
Because she is pregnant she has
become hungry for human blood.
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During the bite,
she injects saliva
to stop the blood from clotting.
Her infected saliva also
carries the Malaria parasite.
The parasite rides the
blood stream like a network
of roads seeking
its first target.
The core of your body's blood
filter system, the liver.
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Sensing its arrival
at the liver,
the parasite searches
for an exit.
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A sentinel Kupffer cell is the
entry point to liver tissue.
Leaving the blood, the parasite
infects a liver cell killing one
or more other cells on its way.
Over the next few days, the
parasite undergoes hundreds
of nuclear divisions, copying
its DNA over and over again.
A single infected liver
cell can create thousands
of new parasites.
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The next generation of
parasites are modified
to infect a new target,
red blood cells.
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Inside a red blood cell,
the parasite can hide
from the body's immune system.
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The parasite slowly devours the
contents of the infected cell
and creates more parasites.
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The infected cell
becomes sticky and grips
on to blood vessel walls.
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Once mature, the infected cell
bursts spreading more parasites
through the blood stream.
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Malaria victims suffer fever,
loss of blood, convulsions,
brain damage and coma.
This year 10% of people
on Earth will be struck
down with Malaria.
Countless millions
have been killed by it.
Most people who die from the
disease are pregnant women
and children under
the age of five.
[ Nature Sounds ]
