200 million people are affected by malaria each year worldwide. Currently there is no effective vaccine licensed for the prevention of malaria. Although several effective strategies are in place to prevent infection.
Malaria is a serious and life threatening disease.
In the UK (2015) 81% of malaria cases were from VFR i.e. those visiting friends or relatives in malaria zones, 13% were business travellers and 6% were holiday travellers. In many cases the VFR group believe they have immunity having lived in the area. As you can see, they do not.
The strategy for Malaria prevention includes
- Awareness. Know the risk in the area you are visiting. Your Travel Clinic professional will advise.
- Bite prevention. Avoid and prevent bites. Keep out of risky locations. Wear appropriate clothing, use insect repellents especially those containing appropriate levels of DEET. Use mosquito nets impregnated with DEET. Use room protection including window guards.
- Compliance. Take the correct dose of medicines recommended to prevent malaria for the required period including before, during and after travelling. Again, a travel clinic professional will advise.
- If you suspect you may have contracted Malaria seek professional advice immediately. This can include flu like symptoms, high temperatures, diarrhoea and coughs. Late diagnosis can result in death!
Nature have published a paper on 15/2/17 which explains that volunteers who were injected with sporozoites from the malaria parasite Plasmodium Falciparum developed immunity to infection.
The vaccine was administered using 3 doses over 3 months. Immunity was found to be effective 10 weeks after the final dose.
Further research is required to optimise the administration regime before the vaccine is made available and licenced for human use.
The vaccine will potentially have major health benefits for travellers and inhabitants of countries endemic for malaria.