Introduction. Plasmodium falciparum malaria is a disease that causes high rates of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Different vaccine candidates have been evaluated experimentally in humans; however, there is no vaccine available that reduces or eliminates this devastating disease. Objective. Describe in terms of design, immune response, protective efficacy and perspectives, the main current candidates for Plasmodium falciparum malaria vaccine aimed at the pre-erythrocytic and erythrocyte phases. Methodology. A descriptive review of works published in PubMed, Science Direct, Embase and MedLine databases was carried out.

The inclusion criteria were:

papers published in a time window between 2000 and 2019, candidates for vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum in pre and erythrocyte stages and validity according to the World Health Organization. In total, 90 original articles were reviewed, finding that 63 met all the established criteria, while Introduction. Plasmodium falciparum malaria is a disease that causes high rates of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Different vaccine candidates have been evaluated experimentally in humans; however, there is no vaccine available that reduces or eliminates this devastating disease. Objective. Describe in terms of design, immune response, protective efficacy and perspectives, the main current candidates for Plasmodium falciparum malaria vaccine aimed at the pre-erythrocytic and erythrocyte phases. Methodology. A descriptive review of works published in PubMed, Science Direct, Embase and MedLine databases was carried out.

The inclusion criteria were:

papers published in a time window between 2000 and 2019, candidates for vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum in pre and erythrocyte stages and validity according to the World Health Organization. In total, 90 original articles were reviewed, finding that 63 met all the established criteria, while 27 did not meet at least one criterion. Results. Applicants for current vaccines include designs based on attenuated parasites, recombinant proteins, viral vectors and chemical synthesis. The formulations include a minimum number of an- tigens with highly polymorphic amino acid sequences, which induce an acceptable immunogenicity profile, although a limited protective efficacy against malaria. Conclusion. The development of an effective vaccine against malaria by Plasmodium falciparum may require the inclusion of multiple functionally relevant epitopes, from the pre and erythrocyte stage, which do not contain polymorphic regions, in order to induce lasting immune responses that block the invasion of the parasite to hepatic and erythrocyte target cells.27 did not meet at least one criterion. Results. Applicants for current vaccines include designs based on attenuated parasites, recombinant proteins, viral vectors and chemical synthesis. The formulations include a minimum number of an- tigens with highly polymorphic amino acid sequences, which induce an acceptable immunogenicity profile, although a limited protective efficacy against malaria. Conclusion. The development of an effective vaccine against malaria by Plasmodium falciparum may require the inclusion of multiple functionally relevant epitopes, from the pre and erythrocyte stage, which do not contain polymorphic regions, in order to induce lasting immune responses that block the invasion of the parasite to hepatic and erythrocyte target cells.

Introdução. A malária por Plasmodium falciparum é uma doença que causa altas taxas de morbimortalidade em todo o mundo. Diferentes candidatos à vacina foram avaliados experimentalmente em humanos; no entanto, nenhuma vacina está disponível para reduzir ou eliminar esta doença devastadora. Objetivo. Descrever em termos de projeção, resposta imune, eficácia protetora e perspectivas, os principais candidatos atuais à vacina contra a malária por Plasmodium falciparum, visando às fases pré-eritrocítica e eritrocítica. Metodologia. Foi realizada uma revisão descritiva dos trabalhos publicados nas bases de dados PubMed, Science Direct, Embase e MedLine.

Os critérios de inclusão foram:

trabalhos publicados em uma janela temporal entre 2000 e 2019, candidatos à vacina contra Plasmodium falciparum nos estágios pré e eritrocitários e validade de acordo com a Organização Mundial da Saúde. No total, foram revisados 90 artigos originais, constatando que 63 atendiam a todos os critérios estabelecidos, enquanto 27 não atendiam pelo menos um critério. Resultados. Os candidatos atuais à vacina incluem projeções baseadas em parasitas atenuados, pro- teínas recombinantes, vetores virais e síntese química. As formulações contêm um número mínimo de antígenos com sequências de aminoácidos altamente polimórficas, que induzem um perfil de imu- nogenicidade aceitável, embora com eficácia protetora limitada contra a malária, uma vez que essas regiões polimórficas são imunodominantes, conferindo apenas imunidade específica à cepa. Conclusão. O desenvolvimento de uma vacina eficaz contra a malária por Plasmodium falciparum pode exigir a inclusão de vários epítopos funcionalmente relevantes, do estágio pré e eritrocítico, contendo regiões conservadas entre as cepas, a fim de induzir respostas imunes duradouras que permitam bloquear a invasão do parasita nas células hepáticas e eritrócitos.