Publications by authors named "Omaira Vera"

Significant progress toward the control of malaria has been achieved, especially regarding Plasmodium falciparum infections. However, the unique biology of Plasmodium vivax hampers current control strategies. The early appearance of P.

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Article Synopsis
  • Plasmodium vivax CS protein is being studied as a potential malaria vaccine, and researchers tested a vaccine with synthetic peptides in 21 malaria-naive volunteers.
  • The vaccine induced strong immune responses, including IgG1 and IgG3 antibodies that blocked parasite invasion in lab tests and a high rate of IFN-γ production from immune cells in response to various peptide stimuli.
  • Despite the small sample size, the preliminary results suggest good safety and immune activation, leading to recommendations for further testing in a phase II clinical trial.
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Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite (CS) protein is a leading malaria vaccine candidate previously assessed in animals and humans. Here, combinations of three synthetic polypeptides corresponding to amino (N), central repeat (R), and carboxyl (C) regions of the CS protein formulated in Montanide ISA 720 or Montanide ISA 51 adjuvants were assessed for immunogenicity in rodents and primates. BALB/c mice and Aotus monkeys were divided into test and control groups and were immunized three times with doses of 50 and 100 μg of vaccine or placebo.

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We assessed the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of a mixture of three synthetic peptides derived from the Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein formulated in Montanide ISA 720 or Montanide ISA 51. Forty healthy malaria-naive volunteers were allocated to five experimental groups (A-E): four groups (A-D) were immunized intramuscularly with 50 and 100 μg/dose injections of a mixture of N, R, and C peptides formulated in the two different adjuvants at 0, 2, and 4 months and one group was administered placebo. Vaccines were immunogenic, safe, well tolerated, and no serious adverse events related to the vaccine occurred.

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The Duffy antigen (Fy) is necessary for Plasmodium vivax invasion of human erythrocytes. Some populations have a highly prevalent Fy-negative phenotype; such persons are naturally protected from P. vivax blood infection but are expected to completely support the P.

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Duffy antigen is the receptor used by Plasmodium vivax to invade erythrocytes. Consequently, individuals lacking Duffy antigen [Fy(-)] do not develop blood-stage infections. We hypothesized that naturally exposed Fy(-) humans may develop immune responses mainly to pre-erythrocytic stages and could be used to study acquired immunity to P.

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