[Malaria: immune mechanisms and immunization]

In the 1990s, malaria worldwide is still the most important infectious disease. In endemic areas mostly children carry the highest burden of morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless an increasing incidence in adults can be expected. Patterns of disease and immunity within a population may be related to host parasite interactions and recent advances in immunology have contributed to a better understanding at the molecular level. Humoral and cellular responses play a major part in the immunity as well as immunopathology of malaria. Due to their extensive adaptive modulation, it will be extremely difficult to expel malaria parasites from their ecological niche. Most approaches of immunization targeted at different parasite stages, interfere with the acquisition of natural immunity and should thus be pursued with great care if implemented in the field.