Fighting Drug-Resistant Malaria

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Malaria Noun

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[muh-lair-ee-uh]

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Malaria

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An infectious disease caused by a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes, resulting in high fever, chills, and other flu-like symptoms.

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Example: This image shows a mosquito biting a person to drink blood. This action is how the malaria parasite is transmitted from an infected mosquito to a human.

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Parasite Noun

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[par-uh-sahyt]

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Parasite

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An organism that lives in or on another organism, its host, and benefits by deriving nutrients at the host's expense.

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Example: This image shows parasites (ticks) living on the skin of a host animal (a dog), which is a common example of a parasitic relationship.

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Vector Noun

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[vek-ter]

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Vector

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An organism, such as a mosquito, that transmits a disease or parasite from one animal or plant to another.

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Example: This arrow represents a vector, which has both a direction and a magnitude (length). It is shown on a grid moving 6 units horizontally and -8 units vertically.

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Antimalarials Noun

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[an-tee-muh-lair-ee-uls]

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Antimalarials

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A class of medicines specifically designed to prevent or treat malaria by targeting the parasite responsible for the infection.

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Example: This image shows a capsule labeled as an 'antimalarial medication,' which is a type of drug used to prevent or treat malaria.

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Drug Resistance Noun

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[druhg ri-zis-tuhns]

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Drug Resistance

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The evolved ability of a microorganism, like a parasite, to withstand the effects of a drug that was previously effective.

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Example: This diagram shows a test where bacteria grow right up to an antibiotic disc (labeled 'Resistance'), demonstrating that the drug cannot stop them.

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Natural Selection Noun

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[nach-er-uhl si-lek-shuhn]

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Natural Selection

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The process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring, passing on their traits.

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Example: This shows variation in finch beaks. Natural selection favors beak shapes best suited for the available food, helping those birds survive and reproduce.

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Mutation Noun

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[myoo-tey-shuhn]

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Mutation

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A random change in the DNA sequence of an organism, which can create new traits or different versions of a gene.

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Example: A rare genetic mutation causes this zebra foal to have spots instead of the typical stripes seen on the adult zebra behind it.

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Allele Noun

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[uh-leel]

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Allele

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A specific version or form of a gene that arises from mutation and is found at the same place on a chromosome.

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Example: This image shows that an allele is a version of a gene (like 'A' or 'a') located at a specific spot on a chromosome.

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Inheritance Noun

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[in-her-i-tuhns]

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Inheritance

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The biological process by which genetic information and specific traits are passed down from parent organisms to their offspring.

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Example: This family tree chart, called a pedigree, shows how a trait is passed from parents to their children over several generations.

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Adaptation Noun

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[ad-ap-tey-shuhn]

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Adaptation

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The process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment, increasing its survival chances.

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Example: This raccoon shows a behavioral adaptation by finding food in a city, which helps it survive in a human-made environment.