Contact:
Newsfox Desk
Phone: + 43 - 1 - 811 40 - 319
E-Mail: editor@newsfox.com
| Pressbox | 
|
London (pte040/26.05.2003/16:01) - A new malaria vaccine has proven highly effective in a recent study, say British researchers at Oxford University http://www.ox.ac.uk . The immune reaction from their vaccine is reportedly ten times higher than that of conventional immunisations.
Clinical test have been conducted with British test subjects, and another more comprehensive study is already under way in western Africa. According to the team under Adrian Hill, this second study will be the first to prove conclusively that the disease can be brought under control with the help of this new combined vaccine.
Most doctors consider vaccines the only hope in fighting against malaria in poor countries. Although medication to treat the disease exists, it is usually too expensive for these regions. The resistance of the malaria parasite to treatment is also increasing.
During the tests, subjects were immunised with the vaccine before being infected with the deadly malaria, also known as plasmodium falciparum. Subjects who began to show symptoms of the disease were immediately given anti-malaria treatment.
In the final results, the immunised group showed a much stronger immune reaction, writes the study's director Adrian Hill in the professional journal Nature.
The vaccine works by stimulating cellular immune reaction or generating so-called T-cells or "helping cells". Hill's team developed two versions of the vaccine: one is a small DNA molecule that contains the key genes of the malaria parasite and the other is a virus. When combined, they create effective protection say the scientists.
(end)
|
|
