Vaccine Development (original) (raw)

2016, Molecular Parasitology

Parasitic protozoa exact an enormous toll on human life, with immediate medical and economic consequences. The heaviest burden of these diseases is borne by the poor, and it is recognised that they contribute to global poverty. Although most infections are treatable with drugs, these are often expensive and toxic and require multiple doses and induction of resistance problematic. Vaccines are recognised as highly cost-effective public health tools and are the only means by which global eradication of any disease has been achieved. Despite the urgent need, no vaccine is available against any human parasite. Reasons for this include the relative complexity and different species of the causative organisms compared with most viruses and bacteria; their cryptic habitats, often intracellular and inaccessible to immune mediators; a lack of understanding of the mechanisms conferring immune protection; and the lengthy and costly process of developing any therapeutic, particularly when the target population includes pregnant women, babies and young children. This chapter outlines some of the promising avenues for vaccine development against the most widespread and serious pathogenic protozoa, Trichomonas , Leishmania and Plasmodium. Whatever the species, there are three main vaccine types aimed at inducing protective immunity. These are whole cell, DNA and subunit vaccines, and we describe some of the candidates currently being assessed as well as the challenges facing researchers in this fi eld.

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