Military Need for Research and Development of a Malaria Vaccine
Abstract
This study examines a military need for research and development of a malaria vaccine from several aspects: (1) the documentation of the incidence of malaria and the resultant noneffectiveness time experienced by American soldiers during two general and two limited wars; (2) an evaluation of past and current antimalarial prevention and control measures to institute during combat operations in endemic areas; (3) a review of the United States interests in two areas and assessment of the malarial threat in those areas; and (4) a comparison of the Army and the Navy malaria vaccine development programs. The study reveals that the history of the United States Army is replete with soldier noneffectiveness time because of contracting malaria. Currently, there is a worldwide resurgence of malaria due to resistance of the malarial parasite or Plasmodium to antimalarial drugs, and resistance of the mosquito vector or Anopheles to insecticides. These two factors exacerbate the malarial threat in future wars and pose formidable challenges to unit mission accomplishment in malarial endemic areas. Since antimalarial prevention and control measures have been only partially successful in past years, soldiers will need permanent antimalarial protection, prior to deployment, in future wars. Active immunization is the method of conferring permanent protection, but currently no active immunization for malaria exist. Consequently, the author concludes that there is an immediate military need for research and development of a malaria vaccine. (author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 03, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADA133267
Entities
People
- Kenneth E. Spencer
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College