The buzz and hiss of mosquitoes may be the most annoying thing in the world, but that feeling is justified immensely in the fact that many carry deadly diseases which prove dangerous to underdeveloped nations. One such disease is Malaria. This disease is caused by a parasite that is spread by mosquitoes and is most found in tropical countries and states. The disease is life threatening, and many do not have the immediate access to care that can treat this disease. As a result, many researchers have been attempting to isolate and create a vaccine based on the structure and make up of Malaria. On April 26th, 2024, researchers published some very promising results from the human trials of a new Malaria vaccine. The main problem with treating Malaria is that since its not exactly bacteria or a virus, instead a parasite, the disease is highly adaptable and immune to multiple antibacterial and antiparasitic medicines currently available. Even cutting-edge treatments have been unable to cure this disease, but by applying the same principles of creating a vaccine for other diseases research has found moderate success in preventing and even curing Malaria. The children of Mali over a six- month season, were given one injected dose of the in-trial vaccine. There were three main groups each with a different dosage of the vaccine. One group was given 300mg, the second was given 150mg and the last group was given a placebo vaccine. The 300mg group proved to show the most success by exhibiting a 19% failure rate and providing a 77% efficacy rate against symptomatic Malaria. The 150 mg dose proved to be slightly less effective but still immensely respectable by having a 28% failure rate with a 67% efficacy rate against symptomatic Malaria. The placebo group had 81% of the group infected with Malaria and 59% had symptomatic Malaria during the six-month period. The method of creating the vaccine was unique in the fact that it wasn’t created in a lab, but instead had the antibodies taken from a volunteer and then recreated to be more durable in the bloodstream and was manufactured at a higher concentration to trial in humans. The trial was primarily conducted in two parts, first to assess the safety in a small number of adults and children and then a larger trial involving 225 children from the ages 6-10. The researchers are continuing clinical development of the experimental antibody and focusing on higher risk populations such as infants, young children, and elderly people. The researchers also hope to study if the antibodies from the mother can be present in the child if the mother received the vaccine while she was pregnant. Even though there is still a long road ahead for the development of the vaccine, the current results and trials prove to be very strong and positive. The future of the vaccines are in high hopes as the current infection rate is 250 million people per year with over 600,000 dying. Anything to stop and prevent this disease is the future and will be the hope needed by many people.
Image Source: (CDC)
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