The last malaria parasite standing will display effective adaptations to selective forces. While substantial progress has been made in reducing malaria mortality, eradication will require elimination of all Plasmodium parasites, including those in asymptomatic infections. These typically chronic, low-density infections are difficult to detect, yet can persist for months. We argue that asymptomatic infection is the parasite’s best asset for survival but it can be exploited if studied as a new model for host–pathogen–vector interactions. Regular sampling from cohorts of asymptomatic individuals can provide a means to investigate continuous parasite development within its natural host. State-of-the-art techniques can now be applied to such infections. This approach may reveal key molecular drivers of chronic infections – a critical step for malaria eradication.

最后的疟疾寄生虫状况将显示出对选择性力量的有效适应。尽管在降低疟疾死亡率方面已取得实质性进展，但根除将需要消除所有疟原虫寄生虫，包括无症状感染的寄生虫。这些典型的慢性，低密度感染难以检测，但可以持续数月。我们认为无症状感染是寄生虫生存的最佳资产，但如果将其作为宿主-病原体-载体相互作用的新模型进行研究，则可以被利用。从无症状人群中定期取样可提供一种方法，以调查其自然宿主内持续的寄生虫发育。现在可以将最新技术应用于此类感染。这种方法可能揭示了慢性感染的关键分子驱动力，这是消除疟疾的关键步骤。