Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42226229›Full record

ArticleMalaria journal2026

Genetic diversity of the Plasmodium falciparum Pfs230 gene in four East African countries supports its potential as a malaria transmission‑blocking vaccine candidate.

Angelina J Kisambale, Ramadhan Moshi, Dativa Pereus, Ruth B Mbwambo, Salehe S Mandai, Gervas A Chacha, Beatus Lyimo, Rashid A Madebe, Rule Budodo, Catherine Bakari and 13 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Malaria journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

23 authors.

Angelina J KisambaleIfakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Ramadhan MoshiNational Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Dativa PereusIfakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Ruth B MbwamboNational Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Salehe S MandaiIfakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Gervas A ChachaNational Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Beatus LyimoNelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania.
Rashid A MadebeNational Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Rule BudodoIfakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Catherine BakariIfakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Hussein J SembojaIfakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Daniel A PetroUniversity of Dar Es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Daniel P ChalleNational Institute for Medical Research, Tanga Research Centre, Tanga, Tanzania.
Sijenunu AaronNational Malaria Control Programme, Dodoma, Tanzania.
Daniel MbwamboNational Malaria Control Programme, Dodoma, Tanzania.
Abdallah LusasiNational Malaria Control Programme, Dodoma, Tanzania.
Stella KajangePrime Minister's Office, Regional Administration and Local Government, Dodoma, Tanzania.
Samwel LazaroNational Malaria Control Programme, Dodoma, Tanzania.
Celine I MandaraNational Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Misago D SethNational Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Benard W KulohomaInternational AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), Nairobi, Kenya.
Gerald JumaUniversity of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
Deus S IshengomaIfakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. deusishe@yahoo.com.

Funding

Gates Foundation , United states INV. 002202
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe current wide-spread drug and insecticide resistance in malaria parasites and mosquito vectors reinforces the urgent need of innovative interventions such as stage-specific vaccines. Transmission-blocking vaccine (TBV) candidates, including Plasmodium falciparum Pfs48/45 and Pfs230 play an essential role in enabling parasite fertilization within mosquitoes. This study evaluated the genetic diversity and evolutionary dynamics of the Pfs230 gene to provide critical information on its potential as a suitable TBV candidate.

methodsThe study utilized genomic data from the MalariaGEN Pf7 database, which included samples collected from four East African countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Genetic metrics including nucleotide diversity, haplotype diversity (Hd), Tajima's D, and Wright's fixation index (F

resultsOf the 1471 sequences retrieved, 1312 passed quality filtering and were retained for downstream analysis. Overall, nucleotide diversity of the Pfs230 gene was low across the four countries (π = 5.9 × 10

conclusionLow levels of genetic diversity and differentiation in the parasite populations was observed across the four countries suggesting that the Pfs230 gene is highly conserved, supporting its potential as a promising TBV candidate. Future studies focusing on Pfs230, alongside other key TBV targets will be essential for strengthening evidence-based needs to prioritize and incorporate this gene in the search for malaria vaccines with a broader protection against different parasite stages.

Indexed as

Antigens, ProtozoanGenetic VariationMalaria, FalciparumMalaria VaccinesPlasmodium falciparumProtozoan ProteinsEthiopiaHaplotypesTanzaniaUgandaAntigens, ProtozoanMalaria VaccinesPfs230 antigen, Plasmodium falciparumProtozoan ProteinsGenetic diversityMalariaMalaria vaccinePfs230 genePlasmodium falciparumTransmission blocking-vaccine

Identifiers

PMID42226229
PMCPMC13440157

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.