First malaria vaccine, Mosquirix 24/04/2019 – Posted in: Daily News
First malaria vaccine, Mosquirix
For: Preliminary
Topics covered: Malaria Vaccine, Malaria, Research and education in medicine, modern science and integration
News Flash
According to World Health Organization’s expert, the world’s first malaria vaccine is ready to be used on a pilot basis before any wide-scale use. The vaccine is about to be tested as part of routine childhood immunization, in a pilot program in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi (African Countries).
The vaccine is expected to avert at least 50,000 malaria cases and save approximately 750 children in the intervention areas.
In Ghana, malaria causes about 2,000 deaths annually, approximately 48% of them children under the age of 5.
Pilot project Aim
The pilot aims to vaccinate a total 360,000 children per year, to evaluate the feasibility of delivering the four required doses of Glaxosmithkline plc’s Mosquirix (RTS,S) and assess the vaccine’s effectiveness in a real-world.
The vaccine only protects about one-third of children against malaria. But even if it doesn’t prevent the disease, the vaccine can reduce the risk of severe malaria.
The RTS,S or Mosquirix
The RTS, S or Mosquirix vaccine is an injectable, developed to protect the plasmodium falciparum malaria in children.
The plasmodium falciparum, is the predominant malaria parasite which causes 80 to 90 percent of severe morbidity and mortality mostly in children under 5 and pregnant women.
The vaccine stimulates the body’s own immune system to defend it against malaria by preventing the parasite from infecting, maturing and multiplying in the liver.
All eligible children will be targeted to receive the full 4 doses of the new vaccine beginning from the 6th month, 7th, 9th and the 24th month.
Malaria
- Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
- Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites. The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, called “malaria vectors.”
- There are 5 parasite species that cause malaria in humans, and 2 of these species – P. falciparum and P. vivax – pose the greatest threat.
- It is preventable and curable.
Symptoms: fever, headache and chills.
India: World Malaria Report 2018
Among the 11 nations with 70% of the world’s burden of malaria, only India has managed to reduce its disease burden, registering a 24% decrease between 2016 and 2017.
With about 9.5 million malaria cases in 2017, down 3 million cases since 2016, India is no longer among the top three countries with the highest malaria burden. However, 1.25 billion Indians–94% of its population–are still at risk of malaria.
Odisha took the battle against malaria
Odisha accounted for 40% of India’s malaria burden, and its remote, heavily-forested regions with scattered tribal populations were the most vulnerable.
The state government started implementing a programme called Durgama Anchalare Malaria Nirakaran (elimination of malaria in inaccessible regions), in short DAMaN.
The programme is jointly implemented by Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR-NIMR), National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), Odisha and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV).
Source: Bio World