In fact, more person-days were lost among US military personnel due to malaria the due to combat during every military campaign fought in malaria endemic regions this century. Because of the complexity of the malaria parasite, which contains an estimated 6,000 genes and manifests itself in differing stages and strains, the development of a single vaccine is a daunting task. The malaria DNA vaccine contains a single gene from the malaria parasite. After the vaccine is injected into the human body and absorbed into the muscle or skin cells, the body recognizes the protein of the malaria parasite as foreign. This, in turn, elicits an immune response to combat the invading parasite.
Clinical trials are under way on the next generation of DNA vaccines.
Vaccines Give Hope DNA vaccines have the potential to revolutionize vaccinology and are being developed by researchers around the world against such diseases as AIDS, tuberculosis, rabies, and herpes. The recent accomplishments of researchers at the NMRC in the area of DNA sequencing herald the advent of a new paradigm in malaria research which will result in new opportunities for the development of further antimalarial drugs and vaccines. These discoveries and others come at a time when the need for malaria research is commanding renewed respect and has the support of leaders in the public health arena. In point of fact, the director-general of the World Health Organization, Dr. Gro Harlem Brudtland, has announced a new campaign to 'Roll Back Malaria' around the world. The Foundation has more than 20 employees at the Naval Medical Research Center devoted to this malaria research initiative.