Nitisinone: Promising New Alternative for Mosquito Control and Malaria Prevention

A groundbreaking study published in Science Translational Medicine has unveiled a promising alternative to ivermectin in the battle against malaria. Researchers have discovered that nitisinone, a medication commonly used to treat alkaptonuria, can make human blood lethal to mosquitoes, offering a potential new tool for malaria prevention and mosquito population control.

Currently, controlling mosquito populations is a key strategy in reducing the spread of malaria. Ivermectin, an antiparasitic drug, has been used to shorten the lifespan of mosquitoes, preventing them from transmitting malaria. However, its environmental toxicity and the risk of developing drug resistance pose significant challenges.

The new study highlights the potential of nitisinone as an alternative. Researchers tested its effects on female Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes, the primary vector for malaria in many parts of Africa. When these mosquitoes fed on blood containing nitisinone, their lifespan was drastically reduced, effectively stopping them from transmitting malaria.

The study, led by researchers from the Robert Gregory National Alkaptonuria Centre at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, involved human participants who were undergoing nitisinone trials for alkaptonuria. These participants donated blood for the study, and the results were striking: blood from people taking nitisinone was deadly to mosquitoes, offering what the research team described as a “hidden superpower”.

In addition to being effective against mosquitoes of all ages, including those most likely to transmit the disease, nitisinone was found to last longer in the bloodstream than ivermectin. It also showed efficacy against mosquitoes resistant to traditional insecticides, making it a promising solution for areas facing resistance to current mosquito control methods.

This research opens the door to new possibilities in malaria prevention. Researchers suggest that nitisinone could be used in conjunction with ivermectin, especially in areas where ivermectin resistance is a concern or where its use is already widespread in livestock and humans.

“This new approach could significantly reduce malaria transmission and mosquito populations without the environmental risks associated with current methods,” said Dr Haines, one of the lead researchers. “The combination of nitisinone and ivermectin could be key in creating a sustainable, effective strategy for global mosquito control.”Nitisinone