Why does malaria persist in the human population?
A) Too few humans have died of malaria to end the disease.
B) Heterozygote advantage maintains both the normal allele and the sickle cell allele in the population.
C) Malaria is a recessive disease and few humans contract it.
D) Humans are protected from the malaria parasite.
E) Malaria is under stabilizing selection.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Heterozygote advantage refers to the phenomenon where individuals who are heterozygous for a certain gene have a survival advantage over those who are homozygous. In the case of malaria, individuals who are heterozygous for the sickle cell allele (carrying one sickle cell allele and one normal allele) have a reduced risk of severe malaria compared to individuals with two normal alleles. This advantage maintains the presence of the sickle cell allele in populations where malaria is prevalent, thereby perpetuating the existence of malaria within the human population.

Why Does Malaria Persist in the Human Population