Malaria is one of the most widespread infectious diseases of man and threatens almost half the world's population. Currently, there are an estimated 350+ million acute cases worldwide each year and approximately (sic) 1-2 million infants and young children die in Africa alone because of the disease. Traditional methods of controlling malaria with insecticides and drugs have been inadequate. Thus, increased attention has focused on developing a safe and effective vaccine against the parasite. In Phase I of the project, our objective is to assess the protective efficacy of immunization with recombinant mycobacterial (e.g. BCG) vaccines containing the gene from the major surface protein of malaria sporozities with the goal of inducing protective cell mediated immunity. We will utilize a P. berghei rodent malaria model since no reliable animal model is currently available for the human malaria parasites, P. falciparum and P. vivax. Data from this study will be used to establish principles that can be applied to the development of novel vaccine candidates for the human malaria parasites. This approach is of special interest because BCG is currently used for vaccination in the WHO/Expanded Program for Immunization in developing countries where malaria is endemic.
