Antibodies administered in One injection under the skin It achieves 77% effectiveness in preventing and controlling malaria infection in children.
It was developed by researchers in the United States who Demonstrating for the first time the utility of this strategy in palacesThey are the population most affected by the disease, and in countries where malaria is seasonal and affects for about half a year.
The effectiveness of the antibody, which has already been tested in adults, It was tested on children in Mali for 6 months Which disease continues to occur in this country.
Protection for 6 months
The results provided by the test are: Very relevantAccording to researcher Carlota Dopanio, head of the Malaria Immunology Research Group at the Institute of Global Health in Barcelona. “For the first time we tried it in children and with subcutaneous injections. It was already seen as preventative, but in adults. A step forward is that it targets children, who are most affected by malaria“.
Additionally, Dopanio points out that he did Other advantages such as administration route“It can be given subcutaneously instead of needing to be injected into a vein, and is more suitable in children.” And what is most important:
“During the approximately six months that the malaria season lasts in Mali, it provides protection against the disease.”
Vaccine supplement
The antibody can serve as a complementary strategy to the vaccine to prevent malaria infection, especially in countries where the disease is seasonal. “It is seen as an alternative treatment to other paths, Like vaccines,” explains the researcher.
“Because malaria is a complex disease that is always difficult to control and eliminate We need a set of control measures, Each country, which has different epidemiological conditions according to population and regions, must consider which one to use.
“Ultimately, in the fight against malaria, there is a whole range of measures that must be used in an intelligent, coordinated and integrated way.”
Now, that will be the next step Expanding the effectiveness of antibodies so that they could also be useful in countries with year-round malaria outbreaks. “The problem with this antibody, like other antibody treatments, is that it is not a vaccine, which means it disappears from the blood.”
For this reason, researchers are working to modify the antibody molecule and make it more durable. In order to remain in the blood for as long as possible. The researcher from the Institute of Global Health in Barcelona adds: “As long as it is present in the blood, it will be able to protect against any new infection.”
For Carlota Dopanio, we are in one place A historic moment in the fight against malaria Due to the presence of two moderately effective vaccines, antimalarial drugs and also new strategies such as monoclonal antibodies.
Malaria is still largely present in countries with tropical and subtropical climates. It affects approximately 300 million people each year More than 400,000 die from this disease.
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