Antibodies to PfSEA-1 block parasite egress from RBCs and protect against malaria infection

The history of efforts to develop a malaria vaccinehas been long and difficult. Raj et al. probed for molecules produced by this blood parasite that are recognized by natural immune responses of people living in malaria-endemic areas of Africa. One, PfSEA-1, blocked parasite exit from red blood cells. Vaccination experiments with mouse malaria showed almost fourfold reduction in parasitemia; moreover, passive transfer of PfSEA-1 antibodies transferred protection from mouse to mouse. Encouragingly, the presence of PfSEA-1 antibodies correlates with significant protection from severe malaria in children and adolescents from Kenya and Tanzania. Science , this issue p. [871][1] [1]: /lookup/volpage/344/871?iss=6186