image: This electron micrograph shows a Plasmodium sporozoite, the infectious stage transmitted upon a mosquito bite. Antibiotic prophylaxis arrests the parasite life cycle only after maturation of parasite daughter cells and is a surrogate needle-free malaria immunization strategy that takes advantage of natural mosquito-born sporozoite injection. This image relates to an article that appeared in the July 14, 2010, issue of Science Translational Medicine, published by AAAS. The study, by Dr. J. Friesen of Heidelberg University School of Medicine in Heidelberg, Germany, and colleagues, is titled, "Natural Immunization Against Malaria: Causal Prophylaxis with Antibiotics." view more
Credit: Image courtesy of Volker Brinkmann