Malaria

Why in the News?

In October 2021, Mosquirix, the first malaria vaccine was recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Key Points:

Mosquirix Vaccine:

• The Mosquirix vaccine or  RTS, S/AS01  has been developed by British drugmaker Glaxo SmithKline.

• It acts against P. falciparum, the most deadly malaria parasite globally.
  •  P. falciparum is the most prevalent in Africa. 
• The active substance in Mosquirix is made up of proteins found on the surface of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite. 
  • When a child is given the vaccine, the immune system recognises the proteins from the parasite and virus as ‘foreign’ and makes antibodies against them.

About Malaria:

• Malaria kills nearly 600,000 people every year, the majority of whom are children under the age of five in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Malaria is a disease caused by the Plasmodium (protozoan) parasite.
• Plasmodium enters the human body as sporozoites (infectious form) through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquito and initiates infection.
• Transmission:
  • The plasmodium parasite is spread by female Anopheles mosquitoes, which are known as “night-biting” mosquitoes because they most commonly bite between dusk and dawn.