Antigenic polymorphism in malaria: is it an important mechanism for immune evasion?

Abstract

Malarial infections do not readily evoke an effective protective immunity against re-infection. Possible reasons for this include the ability of the parasites to interfere with the host's immune response and to evade the response in an immune host, by, for example, exploiting antigenic polymorphism or variation. Antigenic polymorphism undoubtedly exists in malaria parasite populations but does this polymorphism actually contribute to immune evasion by the parasite? Here, Kamini Mendis and colleagues examine the evidence for this and its implications for future malaria vaccines.