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Scientists have produced gold-standard reference genomes for previously neglected malaria parasites by sequencing low-input DNA directly from patient blood, bypassing lab culture.

In a study published Nov. 12 in PLOS Pathogens, researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Parasites and Microbe Research and Training Center in Mali, and collaborators pieced together the full genetic maps of understudied malaria parasites. This will ultimately help future efforts to identify parasite species, monitor malaria spread and study how parasites adapt in response to control efforts.

Malaria remains a major global health challenge. In 2024, there were an estimated 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 malaria deaths globally. Malaria is caused by infection with single-celled parasites belonging to the group called Plasmodium, which are primarily transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

While most research efforts focus on Plasmodium falciparum—the species responsible for most severe cases and deaths—other species, such as Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae, also infect millions of people, causing chronic illness and deaths.

P. ovale and P. malariae have been neglected in research because of their perceived low prevalence and difficulties in establishing long-term laboratory cultures. Previous genetic reference data for these parasites were fragmented and incomplete, leaving major gaps in understanding their biology, persistence in hosts and adaptation over time.

In a new study, researchers at the Sanger Institute and their collaborators sought to develop complete, chromosome-level reference genomes from these neglected malaria parasites, as well as from P.

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