Malaria parasites get jetlag too

Science - Cath Harris | 11 Jan 11. The malaria parasite emerges and develops in synch with the bodyclock of its human host. A study by scientists at Oxford and Edinburgh universities, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B and covered by BBC News online and The Scientist , has shown that the parasite suffers significant penalties if it doesn't match its own bodyclock to the day-night pattern of its host. That is, it effectively suffers jetlag. OxSciBlog asked co-author Dr Harriet McWatters of Oxford's Department of Plant Sciences about the research and its implications for fighting disease. OxSciBlog: What made you think that the malaria parasite might be able to tell the time? - Harriet McWatters: The symptoms of malaria (fever, chills) occur at regular intervals and usually at the same time of day. This is caused by the parasites emerging at the same time from red blood cells.