Understanding the traits underlying vaccine-driven virulence evolution in malaria parasites.

ABSTRACT: Vaccine-driven evolution can erode the beneficial effects of vaccination and is a concern, especially for newly introduced vaccines. While obvious candidates for vaccine-driven evolution are the precise parasite antigens that are the targets of vaccine-induced immunity, traits underlying parasite virulence may also evolve. Previous experimental work in rodent malaria demonstrated that evolution in vaccinated hosts resulted in increased parasite virulence, as measured by anemia (minimum red blood cell density). However, no genetic changes were detected at vaccine target sites, leaving the underlying traits or their interactions with host responses unclear. Using a hierarchical Bayesian framework, we fitted a mathematical model of within-host malaria infection dynamics to experimental time s

SUBMITTER: Jeong Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12382291 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature