Malaria is one of the leading causes of morbidity in endemic countries. Between 350 and  660 million  clinical  episodes of the disease occur per year among African children,  and roughly 1.2 million deaths (representing 2% of all premature deaths  in the world) are caused annually by malaria  in  low- and middle-income countries,  although estimates range from 700 000 to 2.7 million deaths per year. Of all global deaths, due to malaria, around 75% are estimated to occur in African children. Current WHO recommendations for malaria control in children in endemic areas rely on case management, use of insecticide-treated nets and vector control, none of which has proved fully efficacious for controlling the infection. Hence, there is a need to test new strategies that, combined with existing interventions, can effectively reduce the burden of malaria among children in endemic areas.

 Guy Hutton, David Schellenberg et al; 2009; 87:123–129 | doi:10.2471/BLT.08.051961