Do we still need a malaria vaccine?
An unexpectedly large reduction in the burden of malaria has recently been achieved in a number of malaria endemic countries following the scaling up of effective treatment and simple vector control programmes. These achievements question the need for a partially effective malaria vaccine targeted at disease prevention. If an anti-disease vaccine is to replace or supplement existing control measures a high level of efficacy, sustained over a number of years, will be required. Recent successes in malaria control have re-awakened interest in the possibility of malaria elimination in areas where this was not previously considered to be a feasible objective. Malaria vaccines with transmission-blocking properties could play a key role in future elimination programmes.
Greenwood
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B
Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel St., London WC 1E 7HT, UK. brian.greenwood@lshtm.ac.uk
Targett
G
G
D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017780:Malaria Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods*
D000962:Antimalarials; D017780:Malaria Vaccines