Organ damage and pathological disease states lead to the rapid release of
microRNAs (
miRNAs), a class of endogenous small non-coding RNAs, into the blood circulation. Because secreted
miRNAs can be detected in biologic fluids such as plasma, they are currently being explored as promising non-invasive
biomarkers of infectious and
non-infectious diseases.
Malaria remains a major global health challenge but still the potential of
miRNAs has not been explored extensively in the context of
malaria compared to other diseases. Here, we highlight important
miRNAs found during different phases of the
malaria life cycle in the anopheline vector and the human host. We have also put forward our opinion on how
malaria parasite-stage-specific
miRNAs can be incorporated into new diagnostic and prognostic tools to detect carrier mosquitoes and infected patients. In addition, we have emphasised the potential of
miRNAs to be used as new
therapeutics to treat severe
malaria patients, an unresearched area of
malaria control.