Protection of humans against malaria by immunization with radiation-attenuated Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites

J Infect Dis. 2002 Apr 15;185(8):1155-64. doi: 10.1086/339409. Epub 2002 Apr 1.

Abstract

During 1989-1999, 11 volunteers were immunized by the bites of 1001-2927 irradiated mosquitoes harboring infectious sporozoites of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) strain NF54 or clone 3D7/NF54. Ten volunteers were first challenged by the bites of Pf-infected mosquitoes 2-9 weeks after the last immunization, and all were protected. A volunteer challenged 10 weeks after the last immunization was not protected. Five previously protected volunteers were rechallenged 23-42 weeks after a secondary immunization, and 4 were protected. Two volunteers were protected when rechallenged with a heterologous Pf strain (7G8). In total, there was protection in 24 of 26 challenges. These results expand published findings demonstrating that immunization by exposure to thousands of mosquitoes carrying radiation-attenuated Pf sporozoites is safe and well tolerated and elicits strain-transcendent protective immunity that persists for at least 42 weeks.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Culicidae / parasitology
  • Erythrocytes / parasitology
  • Humans
  • Immunization / adverse effects
  • Malaria / prevention & control*
  • Malaria Vaccines / immunology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Plasmodium falciparum / immunology*
  • Plasmodium falciparum / radiation effects
  • Vaccines, Attenuated / immunology

Substances

  • Malaria Vaccines
  • Vaccines, Attenuated