New vaccine to fight malaria and cholera developed

Lead scientist Henry Daniell stated, "I'm very encouraged because our technique works well and provides an affordable way to get vaccines to people who need them most and can least afford them.”

Experiment on rodents
In a bid to evaluate the potential of the vaccine against the two diseases, the researchers fed rodents the freeze dried plant cells containing the vaccine. They then injected the mice with either the cholera toxin or malaria parasite to explore whether the vaccine provided long term protection.

The scientists noted that untreated rodents were vulnerable and contracted the diseases, whereas those administered the vaccine exhibited an immunity of up to 300 days equaling around 50 human years.

The next step for the researchers is to conduct clinical trials to decipher whether the new discovery can translate to human beings.

Inexpensive plant vaccine promising
Currently, there is no vaccine to combat malaria, while the price of the one available for cholera is too steep for the developing countries where both the diseases are rampant. The plant vaccines, on the other hand, are cheaper because they involve less labor and technology.

He declared, "We're talking about producing mass quantities for pennies on the dollar. And distribution to mass populations would be easy because it could be made into a simple pill, like a vitamin, which many people routinely take now. There is no need for expensive purification, cold storage, transportation or sterile delivery via injections."

The research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and the findings are published in the January issue of Plant Biotechnology.

A little about malaria and cholera
Malaria is a deadly vector-borne disease typical of hot tropical regions of the world. It is caused by a parasite that is transmitted to humans by the infectious bite of the female Anopheles mosquito.

The symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, vomiting and shivering. In pregnant women, the disease poses a substantial risk to the mother and the fetus. The disease can be potentially hazardous if not recognized early and treated promptly.

Cholera is an acute, diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The disease is characterized by watery diarrhea, vomiting and severe leg cramps. A person suffering from cholera rapidly loses body fluids which can cause dehydration and shock.

The infection is often mild but sometimes can be severe. If not treated on time the disease can prove to be fatal.