What is in news : World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday endorsed the first anti-malarial vaccine use of the RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S) among children in sub-Saharan Africa and in other regions with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission.

About :

• RTS,S, known by its trade name Mosquirix, uses antibodies to target proteins presented by sporozoites (such as the circumsporozoite protein of falciparum)to enhance the immune system and help prevent the parasite from infecting the liver.
• Mosquirix is also engineered using a hepatitis B viral protein and a chemical adjuvant to further boost the immune response for enhanced effectiveness.

MAHITI FOR PRELIMS

MALARIA

• Caused by the infectious Plasmodium
• Spread: Female Anophelesmosquitoes deposit parasite sporozoites into the skin of a human host.
• Is a leading cause of human morbidity and mortality.