Protective Efficacy of Malaria Vaccine Varies with Parasite Strain

Efficacy was higher against parasites that matched the circumsporozoite protein allele in the vaccine than against mismatched ones.

The RTS,S/AS01 vaccine is based on genetic sequences derived from a single malaria strain, 3D7, but malaria parasites are genetically diverse. Now, in a partially industry-supported study, investigators have assessed differences in vaccine efficacy according to whether the parasites match the vaccine strain at the circumsporozoite protein C-terminal.

The researchers used samples from RTS,S/AS01-vaccinated participants in a phase III trial conducted at 11 sites across 7 African countries. They extracted parasite DNA from dried blood spots and used polymerase chain reaction amplification and next-generation sequencing to assess whether children with clinical malaria had parasites with circumsporozoite protein identical to or different from the…

Reviewing Author

Mary E. Wilson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardOneHealthTrust (formerly Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy); Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsJournal of Travel Medicine

Mary E. Wilson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardOneHealthTrust (formerly Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy); Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsJournal of Travel Medicine

Protective Efficacy of Malaria Vaccine Varies with Parasite Strain

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Reviewing Author