The DNA vaccine would be far more effective, Hoffman said. The malaria parasite is a microorganism with multiple stages of life. In humans, it lives near a blood stream in the liver, as well as inside and outside cells in the blood stream. T-cells generated by the DNA vaccine would attack and kill infected cells. The parasite enters the body through mosquito bites.
Uncomplicated malaria causes high fevers, chills, headaches and muscle pain.
Treated properly, victims are laid up anywhere from a few days to several weeks. The most serious complication affects the brain, and victims at this advanced stage become disoriented, delirious and often comatose. Hoffman said it's not unusual, however, for malaria victims to hallucinate within a week of becoming ill, but then fully recover. He foresees a vaccine that would last at least a year and, ultimately, one that would last a lifetime. Giving service members shots before they enter a malarial zone would eliminate the problem of unused or underused medications and help combat units sustain higher operational capability, he said.