The immune response to the blood stages of Plasmodium in animal models

Several models can be used to study the erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium in the vertebrate host. Although no single-model system reflects the human infection exactly, different systems taken together provide important information on the antigens necessary to stimulate protective immunity and the mechanisms of immunity and immunopathogenesis. Investigations, particularly in rodent models, have demonstrated the importance of CD4+ T cells in protective immunity to erythrocytic parasites and have shown that effector functions (Th1 and Th2) of these cells may play a role in parasite clearance. Because of the nature of the peptide-MHC interaction, animal models may not supply detailed information on the fine specificity of T-cell responses. However, immunisations of rodents and primates with a variety of recombinant proteins of Plasmodium will indicate the feasibility and limitations of using peptide vaccines in man.