Malaria-causing parasites in Africa and southeast Asia are developing genetic mutations that pose grave health implications to the people there.<br />UPI reports researchers collected samples in countries battling the mosquito-borne illness.<br />They found genetic mutations that fuel resistance to a drug intended to prevent malaria in pregnant women and children are common.<br />The gene mutations are linked with resistance to the drug sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine.<br />The mutations were discovered in one-fourth of the samples collected in southeast Asia and one-third of those obtained in Africa.
