World’s first malaria vaccine approved by WHO: All you need to know

Recently, the World Health Organisation made a ground-breaking announcement saying that it has approved the first ever vaccine for malaria. The vaccine is called the RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S) malaria vaccine. This is a matter of significance because the battle against malaria has relentlessly extended over decades. This vaccine serves as possibility towards eradicating, or at the very least, reducing the disease to some extent. 

The RTS,S vaccine was created by scientists working at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) laboratories in Britain in the year 1987. After the initial clinical development, the vaccine has undergone several phases of trials. After extensive clinical trials, it has finally been approved by WHO in 2021. 

How it works 
The vaccine essentially acts against the deadliest malaria parasite in existence, which is called the plasmodium falciparum. It targets the circumsporozoite protein, while at the same time creating and inducing antibodies which work against malaria.  

The vaccine is designed in such a way that it first works to make sure that the parasite does not affect the liver. This is because the liver is where the parasite is capable of multiplying, maturing and infecting the red blood cells after re-entering the bloodstream. However, it must be noted that this vaccine provides only partial protection against malaria. 

Is the vaccine effective? 
The WHO iterated its confidence in the vaccine, especially to young children who are at risk. The RTS,S vaccine demonstrated a decent efficacy rate of 39% over the period of four years. According to the WHO, it is capable of prevent 4 out of 10 malaria cases amongst children who have received four doses. Furthermore, in cases of severe dengue, a 29% efficacy rate was observed with the vaccine preventing 3 in 10 cases. 

What exactly is malaria? 
Malaria is a deadly disease which is caused through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. There are parasites which get transmitted from the mosquito into the blood of the individual who was bit. Young people, more specifically children under the age of 5, are the most vulnerable group when it comes to contracting malaria. This is an acute febrile illness, thus, when an individual is bit, there is a sudden onset of fever. As with any disease, early diagnosis proves to be helpful in treating malaria. Symptoms typically include chills, fever and sweating, night sweats, etc.