Ivermectin could be the key to curbing malaria

Blood suckers, beware.

In a buzzy new study, researchers found that the controversial drug ivermectin could become a powerful new weapon against malaria.

With mosquitos increasingly outsmarting traditional defenses, experts say the findings may mark a game-changing shift in the global fight against the deadly disease.

Ivermectin, an antiparasitic drug, is typically used to treat neglected tropical diseases like river blindness and elephantiasis.

But previous studies found it has a surprising side effect: It can kill mosquitos by turning human blood into a lethal cocktail for the pests, causing them to die after biting.

Curious if this could help curb the transmission of malaria, a parasitic disease spread through the bites of infected mosquitos, researchers tested the drug in Kwale, a coastal county in Kenya with high rates of the illness.

The study enrolled more than 20,000 participants ages 5 to 15, who received either a monthly dose of ivermectin or albendazole — a control drug — for three months. Their malaria status was then checked each month for half a year.

Six months in, the results were clear: Children given ivermectin saw a 26% drop in new malaria infections compared to those on albendazole, even in households with insecticide-treated bed nets were already in use.

Safety-wise, ivermectin held up well, causing no severe side effects and only mild, temporary reactions typical of its use in other tropical disease campaigns.

“We are thrilled with these results,” Carlos Chaccour, co-principal investigator of the study, said in a statement. “With continued research, ivermectin … could become an effective tool for malaria control and even contribute to elimination efforts.”

An added bonus: Communities treated with ivermectin in Kenya also reported a sharp drop in bed bugs.

Meanwhile, a similar trial in Mozambique — cut short by Cyclone Gombe and a cholera outbreak in 2022 — found that ivermectin helped reduce skin infestations like scabies and head lice among participants.

Malaria remains one of the world’s biggest public health threats, with nearly half the global population at risk.

Those infected often suffer high fevers, shaking chills, and flu-like symptoms. Left untreated, the disease can escalate to severe complications including organ failure, seizures, anemia, coma and even death.

The new findings come as malaria cases are on the rise. The World Health Organization estimates 263 million cases in 2023 — 11 million more than the previous year — and nearly 600,000 deaths.

At the same time, mosquitos are evolving. They’re developing resistance to insecticides and changing their habits to avoid traditional defenses like bed nets, including biting outdoors and during dawn or dusk when people are less protected.

“This research has the potential to shape the future of malaria prevention, particularly in endemic areas where existing tools are failing,” said Regina Rabinovich, director of ISGlobal’s Malaria Elimination Initiative.

While malaria was once common in the US, the disease has been mostly eliminated here thanks to large-scale mosquito control efforts dating back more than seven decades.

Each year, about 2,000 cases are reported nationwide — mostly in travelers exposed abroad. However, in recent years, the US has seen a rare trickle of homegrown malaria cases for the first time in decades.

While the overall risk remains low for Americans, experts stress the importance of being able to recognize symptoms so you can act quickly if infected.

“If you have a fever, and they can’t figure out why you have a fever, [and] if you spend a lot of time outside where there’s a lot of heat and humidity, [malaria] should be considered,” Dr. Prakash Srinivasan of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health told reporters.

“When you catch it early, you can treat it,” he added.