Transmission blocking malaria vaccines

Transmission blocking vaccines (TBVs) against malaria are intended to induce immunity against the stages of the parasites which infect mosquitoes so that TBV-immunised individuals cannot transmit malaria. As malarial infections are transmitted mainly within a few hundreds of meters from an infectious human source, TBVs used within in a community would protect the immediate neighbourhood of the vaccinated individuals. TBVs against the two major species of human malaria, Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax. are under development. Candidate TBV constructs for both Plasmodium species have been successfully tested in animal systems and testing is in progress with clinical grade material in humans. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.