R21 Malaria vaccine

08 Oct 2023 3 mins Download PDF

R21 Malaria vaccine

1. The R21/Matrix-M™ malaria vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and the Serum Institute of India has been recommended for use by the World Health Organization (WHO).
2. The vaccine was developed by leveraging Novavax’s adjuvant technology.
3. The vaccine has met the requirements of safety, quality and effectiveness standards.
4. Malaria:
   1. It is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other vertebrates.
   2. Its symptoms include fever, fatigue, vomiting, and headaches.
   3. Symptoms usually onset 10 to 15 days after being bitten by an infected Anopheles mosquito.
   4. Human malaria is caused by single-celled microorganisms of the Plasmodium group and is spread exclusively through bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes
   5. Most deaths are caused by P. falciparum, whereas P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae generally cause a milder form of malaria.
   6. Medications for malaria includes artemisinin, mefloquine, lumefantrine, or sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine, Quinine.