Malaria vaccination strategy provides model for superior protection
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 - 11:31
in Biology & Nature
Malaria is a devastating disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite which is transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes. Hundreds of millions of new cases of malaria are reported each year, and there are more than 750,000 malaria-related deaths annually. As a result, there is an urgent need for vaccines to combat infection. Now, a new study uncovers a powerful strategy for eliciting an immune response that can combat the parasite during multiple stages of its complex life cycle and describes what may be the most effective next-generation vaccination approach for malaria. The research will be published online on June 15 by Cell Press in the journal Cell Host and Microbe.