Peripheral merozoite surface proteins are targets of naturally acquired immunity against malaria both in India and in Ghana.

Development of a successful blood-stage vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum malaria remains a high priority. Immune-epidemiological studies are effective tools for the identification of antigenic-targets of naturally acquired immunity (NAI) against malaria. However, differences in study design and methodology may compromise inter-study comparisons. Here, we assessed antibody responses against intact merozoites and a panel of 24 recombinant merozoite antigens in longitudinal cohort studies of Ghanaian (n = 115) and Indian (n=121) populations using the same reagents and statistical methods. Anti-merozoites antibodies were associated with NAI in both the Indian (hazard ratio [lsqb]HR[rsqb] = 0.41, p = 0.020) and the Ghanaian (HR = 0.17, p