Immunogenicity of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored micronemal antigen in natural Plasmodium vivax exposure

Background Plasmodium vivax is the most geographically widespread malaria species and codominates with Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest form of the malaria parasite. For the last few years, the number of vivax malaria cases has increased, but vivax malaria is still considered a neglected disease. During the blood stages of their life cycle, P. vivax parasites export several hundred proteins into host red blood cells. Some of these exported proteins have been discovered and studied for use as a blood-stage malaria vaccine. The P. vivax glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored micronemal antigen (PvGAMA) was identified in previous study, which plays an important role in parasite invasion. To support the hypothesis that PvGAMA can induce an immune response in natural exposure, the antibody responses and cellular immunity against this antigen was demonstrated during and post-infection.