Scientists find rare group of children who are naturally immune to malaria

A group of children in Tanzania who are naturally immune to malaria are helping scientists to develop a new vaccine.

US researchers have found that they produce an antibody that attacks the malaria-causing parasite.

Injecting a form of this antibody into mice protected the animals from the disease.

The team, which published its results in the journal Science, said trials in primates and humans were now needed to fully assess the vaccine's promise.

Malaria is one of the most deathly widespread tropical disease in the world, it killed 660k alone in 2010 and 200 million people suffered it that year, this is the most promising result towards a vaccine so far lets hope soon malaria will be a thing of the past.

BBC

a reply to: Indigent

Fantastic news, this could potentially save millions of lives in the future. It kills some 647,000 people world wide!

edit: per year

a reply to: Indigent

I smell some money grubber in the shadows nobody knows about yet but still it will save lives for about 25$ a vile

a reply to: Captobvious94

Well you want it free at the lost of the maker? even bottling water have a cost.

Obscene profit margins is other thing.

or are they just giving us a backstory for their new wonder drug that they're going to sell to third world nations for a vast amount of money?

Great advertisment for GSK...

However... I worked for many years with Plasmodium Falciparum (Paludism)... which is the paricular malaria in question...

To be taken into consideration...

GSK will only sell their "EVENTUAL" antibody attacking vaccine or cure to those who can afford to fork out the price...

GSK equals big Pharma... EQUALS MAJOR POCKETMONEY FOR SHAREHOLDERS...

In the 10 or so years that I worked for the Pasteur Institut in France, we and other teams developed so many important major life saving "products" but needed finances... however, only major drug companies had/have this type of financial back up for which must of us fundemental researchers refuse/d as we know/knew too darned well that those that needed it the most would not profit...

Vaccines and cures are there... I can assure you... the problem is that Gvts dont have (or have been bribed) into not giving out that... bastards.

As long as you have those greedy, selfish, money grabbing tit heads out there... then there is nothing that the poor people of the world can do apart from die and leave this dying planet to the unhonest filthy rich...

Saddest respects

Rodinus

originally posted by: Rodinus

As long as you have those greedy, selfish, money grabbing tit heads out there... then there is nothing that the poor people of the world can do apart from die and leave this dying planet to the unhonest filthy rich...

Saddest respects

Rodinus

a reply to: Rodinus

It's amazing how some people can spin a great discovery for mankind with the potential to save millions of lives into some "doom and gloom" conspiracy narrative. I'm sure the hundreds of thousands of children who's lives will be save each year as a result will be more cheerful about it than you are.

If anyone don't want a vaccine because evil capitalist seeking profit they could always not get the vaccine and let nature do its work, perhaps you will develop immunity naturally

originally posted by: GetHyped
a reply to: Rodinus

It's amazing how some people can spin a great discovery for mankind with the potential to save millions of lives into some "doom and gloom" conspiracy narrative. I'm sure the hundreds of thousands of children who's lives will be save each year as a result will be more cheerful about it than you are.

it's amazing how some people are so narrow minded that they dismiss first hand evidence without researching it

originally posted by: GetHyped
a reply to: Rodinus

It's amazing how some people can spin a great discovery for mankind with the potential to save millions of lives into some "doom and gloom" conspiracy narrative. I'm sure the hundreds of thousands of children who's lives will be save each year as a result will be more cheerful about it than you are.

Maybe I am mis-understanding your post...

You think that I am cheerful about the fact that thousands of children are dying or have died because of the many life threatening diseases/viruses etc that are out there?

You are VERY wrong if this is what I have understood... As I said... I am an ex PUBLIC research scientist and am disgusted by the fact that the only way that us fundemental scientists can actually get something out to treat or cure people is by the means of private funding (IE BIG Pharma)...

YEA... I am really cheerful about the fact that thousands... even millions of kids/people are dying throughout the planet or have died... and this is the reason why I have dedicated half of my life to lfe sciences...

Cheerful... YEA....

Kindest respects

Rodinus

I can quite honestly feel how shocked you are...

Kindest respects

Rodinus

If true, doesn't surprise me. I was reading an article on cracked.com of all places that had links to people that had super bone density, immunity to HIV, and a group of dwarves from Central/South America that never developed cancer or diabetes.

a reply to: Rodinus

Agreed.
It is greed. We as a species have the money and the means to eliminate disease and starvation over the whole planet. But we hold to petty beliefs that "we" are better than "them". Whatever happened to the billion each Gates and Buffett were to give Africa? That was years ago...they have yet to see a penny...and all they wanted to do was self serving to open up new markets for the products that they have vested interests in...it was far from humanitarian.

a reply to: Indigent

Could it be that these kids have "evolved" immunity to the disease due to many of their ancestors having caught it I wonder?
Maybe the kids could produce more immune babies when they reach child bearing age?
That would make them very popular amongst suitors in the future I bet.

I read recently that a malaria vaccine is being developed,and they think it will be ready in 2 years.
If it works out it will save millions of lives,and lead to a population explosion in the developing world-provided they can produce enough food to sustain their growing populations.