THE origins of malaria have been hotly debated. Some contend the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum started out in Africa and spread round the world about 6000 years ago – others say the parasite first made its move 100,000 years ago or more. It now seems both are right.
A study of the parasite’s mitochondrial DNA by an international team has revealed the ages of different populations of the parasite around the world. This shows that P. falciparum first spread throughout the world between 40,000 and 180,000 years ago, probably alongside the first human emigrants. A much larger wave followed 10,000 years ago, coinciding with the emergence…
