by Cassie and Dylan

1. New Malaria Vaccine Cassie Goodman and Dylan Karle

2. Malaria Mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by a parasite: Plasmodium Parasite Plasmodium multiply in the liver and infect red blood cells Transmitted through mosquitoes Common symptoms: fever, headache, vomiting, muscle pains, chills 10-15 days after bite http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_nOgu8OnZA&feature=related

3. Spread of Malaria Widespread in tropical and sub-tropical areas Parts of the Americas, Asia and Africa Around 350-500 million cases a year that kill 1-3 million people 90% of Malaria-caused deaths occur in Sub-Saharan Africa Majority are young children in Sub-Saharan Africa Immunity can develop naturally, but only after repeated infections of different strains of malaria

4. Vaccine Need Children are usually most vulnerable to malaria, because they have not built up a natural immunity like some adults In Africa, 1 child dies of malaria every 30 seconds There are some ways to prevent malaria (killing infected mosquitoes, bed nets) and some medications to treat the parasite An effective vaccine is the key step toward eradicating the disease

5. FMP2.1/AS02A Researchers are finding strong and long-lasting responses to a new vaccine for children Being studied on children in Mali The vaccine produces antibody levels that are as high or higher then those of people who have become naturally immune The vaccine can reproduce the natural protective immunity that usually takes years of intense exposure to malaria to develop

6. FMP2.1/AS02A Consists of a form of the AMA-1 protein and the AS02 Adjuvant System Adjuvant System is a compound that boosts the immune response to the vaccine Based on a single strain of the falciparum malaria parasite – the most common and deadliest form of the parasite found in Africa Targets the blood stage The period after the mosquito bite – when the parasite multiplies in the blood Causes the disease and death

7. Studies Other blood stage vaccines have been tested but none have shown the ability to prevent malaria Previous studies with the new vaccine in the US and Mali have found the vaccine to be safe and produce strong immune responses in adults Tested in 100 Malian children ages 1-6 Children were randomly assigned either one of three escalating doses of the new vaccine or a control rabies vaccine All three doses of the vaccine proved to be safe, well tolerated, and had strong antibody responses that were sustained for at least 1 year

8. More Studies Since the earlier trial, researchers are now conducting a larger trial of 400 Malian children This trial will also examine if the vaccine can protect against multiple malaria parasites – even though it is only based on a single strain Scientists hope that the vaccine could be combined with other vaccines and create a highly protective multi-component immunization

9. Sources http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100203201425.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaria