Epstein-Barr virus influences the induction of protective antibody responses in young African children vaccinated with the RTS,S malaria vaccine
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: The RTS,S vaccine provides moderate protection against malaria in children, which may be due in part to environmental factors. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections are prevalent in Africa and potentially contribute to suboptimal vaccine responses. We evaluated whether latent CMV/EBV infections impact RTS,S-induced antibodies in 314 vaccinated children aged 5-29 months in West Africa. While no strong associations were observed for CMV, children seropositive for EBV had lower antigen-specific IgG and IgA, which have been linked with protective malaria immunity. These results may partly explain why malaria vaccines are suboptimal in populations where early CMV/EBV infections are prevalent.
Source: medRxiv
Language: English
Topic: Malaria Research and Control
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225320972