title: Development of a transmission-blocking malaria vaccine: progress, challenges, and the path forward.
abstract: New interventions are needed to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with malaria, as well as to accelerate elimination and eventual eradication. Interventions that can break the cycle of parasite transmission, and prevent its reintroduction, will be of particular importance in achieving the eradication goal. In this regard, vaccines that interrupt malaria transmission (VIMT) have been highlighted as an important intervention, including transmission-blocking vaccines that prevent human-to-mosquito transmission by targeting the sexual, sporogonic, or mosquito stages of the parasite (SSM-VIMT). While the significant potential of this vaccine approach has been appreciated for decades, the development and licensure pathways for vaccines that target transmission and the incidence of infection, as opposed to prevention of clinical malaria disease, remain ill-defined. This article describes the progress made in critical areas since 2010, highlights key challenges that remain, and outlines important next steps to maximize the potential for SSM-VIMTs to contribute to the broader malaria elimination and eradication objectives.
authors: PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, USA.
authors: Julia K
authors: JK
authors: Nunes
authors: PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, USA; PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Colleen
authors: C
authors: Woods
authors: PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, USA.
authors: Terrell
authors: T
authors: Carter
authors: PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, USA.
authors: Theresa
authors: T
authors: Raphael
authors: PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, USA.
authors: Merribeth J
authors: MJ
authors: Morin
authors: PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Dakar, Senegal.
authors: Diadier
authors: D
authors: Diallo
authors: PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Ferney, France.
authors: Didier
authors: D
authors: Leboulleux
authors: PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, USA.
authors: Sanjay
authors: S
authors: Jain
authors: PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, USA.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Loucq
authors: PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, USA; PATH, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: David C
authors: DC
authors: Kaslow
authors: PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, USA. Electronic address: abirkett@path.org.
authors: Ashley J
authors: AJ
authors: Birkett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000639:trends*; D009033:Culicidae / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D017780:Malaria Vaccines
chemical_list: D017780:Malaria Vaccines
keywords: Elimination; Eradication; Malaria vaccine; Transmission blocking