In a significant stride toward combating one of the world’s deadliest diseases, which is spread by mosquitoes, a large-scale, cluster-randomized clinical trial has demonstrated that mass administration of ivermectin, a drug used to treat parasitic infections, can substantially reduce malaria transmission.
Published in the New England Journal of Medicine on July 23, 2025, results from the BOHEMIA trial, the most extensive study of its kind, found that ivermectin led to a 26% decrease in new malaria infections among children when combined with standard bed nets.
Regina Rabinovich, BOHEMIA principal investigator and director of ISGlobal’s Malaria Elimination Initiative, commented in a press release, “This research has the potential to shape the future of malaria prevention, particularly in endemic areas where existing tools are failing.”
This finding, along with a study published in 2019, offers a promising approach against a parasite that continues to evade traditional control measures impacting the health of millions of people, primarily in Africa and South America.
In addition to reducing malaria transmission, the BOHEMIA team observed a significant reduction in the prevalence of skin infestations, such as scabies and head lice, in the ivermectin group in Mozambique. Furthermore, the Kenya community reported a substantial decrease in bed bugs.
According to the press release, the study’s findings have been reviewed by the WHO Vector Control Advisory Group, which concluded that the study had demonstrated impact and recommended further studies.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Algorithm for the Diagnosis and Management of Malaria guides the recommended steps to treat malaria patients. Recommendations for antimalarial drugs to prevent malaria vary by country of travel and can be found in the CDC’s Yellow Book, specifically in the chapter on Malaria Prevention Information.
As of July 25, 2025, international travelers in the United States, such as those in Florida, have been diagnosed with malaria.
Additionally, malaria vaccines have been approved for use in Africa; however, they are not available in the United States as of 2025.