Hitting malaria before it hurts: attenuated Plasmodium liver stages.
Continuous natural exposure to Plasmodium transmission by infectious Anopheles mosquitoes leads to a gradual acquisition of immunological competence against malaria. The partial immunity, observed in adolescents and adults living in endemic areas, reduces morbidity and mortality without preventing parasite infection. In experimental animal models, long-lasting sterilizing immunity can be achieved with genetically attenuated Plasmodium liver stages. Can these findings be translated to accomplish sterile protection against natural malaria transmission in the high-risk group, young infants in sub-Saharan Africa?
Matuschewski
K
K
Department of Parasitology, Heidelberg University School of Medicine, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. Kai.Matuschewski@med.uni-heidelberg.de
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology*; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017780:Malaria Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000528:radiation effects; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000008:administration & dosage
D017780:Malaria Vaccines; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated