Researchers from the University of Maryland (USA) and the University of Bamako ( Mali) have found a new malaria vaccine to induce high and sustained antibody levels in malaria-exposed children. The early-stage (phase 1) trial was conducted among 100 children between 1 and 6 years old in a rural Malian town with intense seasonal transmission of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The vaccine also had a good safety profile and was well-tolerated. The researchers are now testing the vaccine in 400 children in the same locality to find out if the sustained antibody response translates into effectiveness of the vaccine in protecting the children against malaria.

Source: Thera MA et al. PLoS ONE 2010;5(2):e9041.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0009041