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IS THE MALARIA VACCINE A MAGIC BULLET?

Friday, 11th of May 2012

‘What a malaria vaccine will not do:

1. Be 100% protective efficacy

2. Be deployed by the vaccine developer

3. Eliminate malaria from countries in stages 1 & 2

4. Count the numbers to document control and elimination

5. Reduce the cost of malaria control’

IS VACCINE THE MAGIC BULLET FOR MALARIA ELIMINATION? A REALITY CHECK

Roma Chilengi1,2* and Jesse Gitaka1

* Corresponding author: Roma Chilengi, Rchilengi@kilifi.kemri-wellcome.org

Author Affiliations

1 KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, P.O. BOX 230, Kilifi, Kenya

2 University of Oxford, Nuffield Department of Health, Centre for Clinical Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine, UK

Malaria Journal 2010, 9(Suppl 3):S1

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.malariajournal.com/content/9/S3/S1

Abstract

Malaria remains a major health burden especially for the developing countries. Despite concerted efforts at using the current control tools, such as bed nets, anti malarial drugs and vector control measures, the disease is accountable for close to a million deaths annually. Vaccines have been proposed as a necessary addition to the armamentarium that could work towards elimination and eventual eradication of malaria in view of their historical significance in combating infectious diseases. However, because malaria vaccines would work differently depending on the targeted parasite stage, this review addresses the potential impact various malaria vaccine types could have on transmission. Further, because of the wide variation in the epidemiology of malaria across the endemic regions, this paper proposes that the ideal approach to malaria control ought to be tailor-made depending on the specific context. Finally, it suggests that although it is highly desirable to anticipate and aim for malaria elimination and eventual eradication, many affected regions should prioritize reduction of mortality and morbidity before aspiring for elimination.

‘The Kenyan health sector is clearly inequitable and benefits are not distributed on the basis of need.’ Expand+