Chapter 26, Problem 34A

Summary Introduction

To suggest:

Use of fungi for treating malarial infections.

Introduction:

Malaria is a disease caused due to the infection of plasmodium. It is a life-threatening condition, in which the person experiences sever chills and it is transferred by the bite if female Anopheles mosquito.

Explanation of Solution

Metarhizium anisopliae is naturally occurring pathogen of mosquitoes. It is generally used as mosquito specific biopesticide. So, researchers used this property of this fungus and created a new transgenic fungi, which can kill Plasmodium in the body of the mosquito. So, when this fungi are sprayed on the mosquitoes, it does not kill them, but is capable of killing the malaria causing agent.