World Malaria Day: Advances in Malaria Pathogenesis, Immunity, and Therapy

Malaria remains one of the most important infectious diseases worldwide, with a substantial burden of morbidity and mortality, particularly in endemic regions and among vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant women. Marked annually on April 25, World Malaria Day serves as a timely reminder of both the progress achieved and the scientific and clinical challenges that remain. Despite advances in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, malaria continues to be shaped by complex host–parasite interactions, severe disease manifestations, immune dysregulation, and the growing threat of antimalarial drug resistance. Meanwhile, many countries are transitioning toward malaria elimination, where transmission becomes increasingly focal and heterogeneous, often driven by asymptomatic and low-density infections that are difficult to detect using conventional tools. In this context, understanding the “hidden reservoir” of infection and the risk of transmission re-establishment has become a key challenge. Advances in molecular and genomic approaches now provide new opportunities to characterize parasite populations, track transmission, and detect emerging resistance. Integrating these approaches with clinical and immunological insights is essential to better understand malaria in both high-burden and near-elimination settings.This Research Topic aims to bring together basic, translational, and clinical studies that improve our understanding of malaria pathogenesis, host immune responses, and therapeutic strategies. Works exploring the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying Plasmodium infection, disease severity, endothelial dysfunction, sequestration, immune activation, immune evasion, and complications such as cerebral malaria, and severe anemia are welcomed. Studies addressing biomarkers, prognostic indicators, and the links between pathophysiology and clinical outcomes are also encouraged.This Research Topic also seeks to integrate emerging molecular and genomic perspectives into malaria research, particularly in relation to transmission dynamics, asymptomatic infections, and the detection of low-density parasitemia. Contributions that bridge clinical findings with parasite genetics and resistance evolution are especially encouraged, providing actionable insights for surveillance, control, and elimination strategies. Overall, by integrating molecular epidemiology and genomics with clinical and immunological data, the Research Topic aspires to reveal actionable insights for antimalarial drug development, resistance mitigation, and elimination strategies.By aligning with the spirit of World Malaria Day, this collection aims to highlight advances that can support more effective and mechanism-informed malaria care.Potential themes include, but are not limited to:• Host–parasite interactions in malaria• Mechanisms of severe malaria and organ-specific pathology• Immune responses, immune evasion, and immunopathology• Cerebral malaria, severe anemia, and endothelial dysfunction• Biomarkers of disease severity, prognosis, and treatment response• Antimalarial drug resistance and therapeutic failure• Novel antimalarial compounds and combination therapies• Adjunctive and supportive therapies for severe malaria• Malaria in children, pregnancy, and other high-risk populations• Symptom-informed and clinician-facing tools relevant to malaria treatment pathways• Asymptomatic and low-density malaria infections and their role in transmission • Molecular and genomic surveillance of malaria parasites • Population genetics, parasite diversity, and transmission connectivity • Importation, transmission dynamics, and risk of malaria re-establishment in near-elimination settings • Integration of genomics into routine surveillance and public health decision-making Topic editors: Nguyễn Hương Bình, Wei Wang, Jian Li Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80625/world-malaria-day-advances-in-malaria-pathogenesis-immunity-and-therapy