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Synergy in anti-malarial pre-erythrocytic and transmission-blocking antibodies is achieved by reducing parasite density.

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Peer-reviewed

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Article

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Authors

Sherrard-Smith, Ellie  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8317-7992
Sala, Katarzyna A 
Betancourt, Michael  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2900-0931
Upton, Leanna M 

Abstract

Anti-malarial pre-erythrocytic vaccines (PEV) target transmission by inhibiting human infection but are currently partially protective. It has been posited, but never demonstrated, that co-administering transmission-blocking vaccines (TBV) would enhance malaria control. We hypothesized a mechanism that TBV could reduce parasite density in the mosquito salivary glands, thereby enhancing PEV efficacy. This was tested using a multigenerational population assay, passaging Plasmodium berghei to Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes. A combined efficacy of 90.8% (86.7-94.2%) was observed in the PEV +TBV antibody group, higher than the estimated efficacy of 83.3% (95% CrI 79.1-87.0%) if the two antibodies acted independently. Higher PEV efficacy at lower mosquito parasite loads was observed, comprising the first direct evidence that co-administering anti-sporozoite and anti-transmission interventions act synergistically, enhancing PEV efficacy across a range of TBV doses and transmission intensities. Combining partially effective vaccines of differing anti-parasitic classes is a pragmatic, powerful way to accelerate malaria elimination efforts.

Description

Keywords

Anopheles stephensi, Plasmodium berghei, epidemiology, global health, infectious disease, microbiology, mouse, multigenerational population assay, pre-erythrocytic vaccine, synergy, transmission-blocking vaccine, Animals, Anopheles, Antibodies, Blocking, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Antibodies, Protozoan, Drug Synergism, Female, Humans, Malaria, Malaria Vaccines, Mice, Mosquito Vectors, Parasite Load, Plasmodium berghei, Protozoan Proteins, Salivary Glands, Sporozoites, Trophozoites

Journal Title

Elife

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2050-084X
2050-084X

Volume Title

7

Publisher

eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
Sponsorship
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/J016934/1)
Medical Research Council (MR/N00227X/1)