Malaria is a vector-borne disease caused by the parasite Plasmodium and transmitted to humans through the bite of the Anopheles mosquito. While the parasitic disease is usually treated with the drug ivermectin,

Low doses of a drug already approved for treating rare genetic conditions in humans kills mosquitoes dead. Scientists say it could be a valuable new tool in the fight against disease.

A study in Science Translational Medicine found when patients take the drug nitisinone, their blood becomes deadly to mosquitoes.