Malaria vaccine
Anonymous
East African Medical Journal 65(4): 217-218
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0012-835X DOI: 10.1016/0169-4758(91)90123-6Document Number: 284650
This editorial discusses the need for a fresh look at malaria control, treatment and a possible vaccine. The extracellular forms of the parasite, the sporozoite, merozoite and the gamete are emphasized as the prime targets for development of a vaccine. Schizonts would also be important because they are associated with parasite-determined antigens on the surface of the affected red cell. Antigenic variation is a major constraint in the development of the vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum, but DNA cloning technology and use of monoclonal antibodies may obviate this problem. A synthetic peptide of the immunodominant epitope of P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein conjugated to tetanus toxoid as a protein has led to the development of a safe first-generation malaria vaccine, but this peptide conjugate vaccine may not prime the parasite specific T-cells and so may not result in a booster of the immune response and lymphokine production in a subsequent infection. Various candidate antigens are being investigated for vaccination against parasites in other stages of the life cycle. However, it is considered that it will be a long time before malaria vaccines will supplement and overcome the failure of mosquito control, chemotherapy and chemoprophylaxis which currently are the only methods available.
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