Antigenic diversity, antigenic variation and merozoite surface protein 1.

Antigenic diversity and immune evasion by the parasite are important factors in the epidemiology of malaria and in determining the incidence of severe malaria. The dynamics of the parasitaemia in current studies in mice immunized with P.c.chabaudi native MSP1 or recombinant C-terminal subunits thereof, strongly indicate evasion of components of the immune response induced by these antigens by parasites multiplying after challenge infection.