Plasmodium falciparum malaria is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A widely held model of malaria immunity is slow age-related immune buildup. It has also been argued that protective immunity to severe pathology is achieved relatively rapidly. A work in South East Asia reported the development of malaria immunity as a function of age but independent of cumulative exposure. Though it has been difficult to look into the effect of age on malaria immunity independent of exposure, these investigators argued that they managed to do so. Also, there was no significant difference in malaria antibody levels between individuals more extensively exposed and those with less exposure. Another unresolved issue in malaria immunity is that antibody responses decline rapidly with time in the absence of persistent boost infections. On the other hand, there are evidences contrary to this assertion. Antibodies by Non-Febrile, Smear-Negative Individuals from a Malaria Epidemic-Prone Setting in
Ethiopia are Strongly Reactive to Plasmodium falciparum Blood-Stage Vaccine Candidate Antigens: Hassen Mamo, Nnaemeka C Iriemenam, Klavs Berzins and Beyene Petros
Last date updated on April, 2026