Malaria: Protective antibodies following natural infection

(German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ)) No effective vaccine exists to date against the tropical disease malaria. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center have now studied how the human immune system responds to natural infection by the malaria parasite. Analyzing individual immune cells, they discovered that the immune system produces antibodies that are protective against the disease in mice. In addition, long-lived memory cells are formed and produce this antibody again if needed. These findings will help develop more specific next-generation vaccines.
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news