What Makes the Malaria Parasite Infect People?

A team of researchers have discovered why the parasite that causes the deadliest form of malaria only infects humans. The team recently showed that the interaction between a parasite protein called RH5 and a receptor called basigin was essentially required for the invasion of red blood cells by the parasite that causes the deadliest form of malaria. Now, they've discovered that this same interaction is also an important factor in explaining why the parasite seems ...