Malaria Vaccine Effective in Latest Trials

[depakid]

Source: US News

Mosquito-borne disease kills nearly 1 million people, mostly African children, every year

MONDAY, Dec. 8 (HealthDay News) Results from two phase II trials in Africa show that a new malaria vaccine is effective at preventing both infection and the mosquito-borne disease itself in infants and children. "Malaria is killing almost 1 million people, mostly African children, every year," Dr. Christian Loucq, director of the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, said during a morning teleconference Monday. "Clearly, the world needs a safe and effective malaria vaccine."

The vaccine, called RTS,S, is one of several vaccine candidates for malaria, Loucq said. Other vaccines are under development, but RTS,S is the one that is furthest along and ready for phase III testing, he noted. "These studies offer further evidence that RTS,S provides both infants and young children with substantial protection against the disease," Loucq said. "We are closer than ever before to having a malaria vaccine for use by the children in Africa."

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"There was a 65 percent reduction in first infection from malaria in those infants who received three doses of the vaccine and were followed over a six-month period," said lead researcher Dr. Salim Abdulla, head of the Bagamoyo Research and Training Centre of the Ifakara Health Institute, in Tanzania. "A safe and efficacious malaria vaccine for children in Africa may be available in the near future and have the potential of alleviating a huge burden of malaria disease," he added.

The findings were published online Dec. 8 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Read more: http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2008/12/08/malaria-vaccine-effective-in-latest-trials.html

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One of medicine's Holy Grail's.

The NEJM articles are currently free online:

Efficacy of RTS,S/AS01E Vaccine against Malaria in Children 5 to 17 Months of Age

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMoa0807381

Safety and Immunogenicity of RTS,S/AS02D Malaria Vaccine in Infants

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMoa0807773

[Liberal Veteran]

1. Let's hope it is an enormous success.

That would be a wonder for our time.

[Ian David]

2. On the other hand, Malaria has kept white people from conquering Africa for centuries. n/t

[xchrom]

4. and that of course is a good sole reason for keeping this vaccine from the

very people who suffer the most from malaria.

white people -- right -- white people.

[Ian David]

6. I'm not saying that it is a necessary and sufficient reason.

But there are areas of Africa that have never been conquered by white people solely because of malaria and other diseases.

[xchrom]

3. recommend

:applause:

[pinto]

5. Good news. Thanks for the post.

:thumbsup: