Antibody-induced ultrastructural changes of malarial sporozoites.

Immunization with irradiated sporozoites produces a considerable degree protection against rodent, simian, and human malaria. This protection is in part antibody mediated. Antibodies neutralize sporozoites (SNA), i.e. abolish their infectivity, and cause, in vitro, the formation of a thread-like precipitate on the parasites (CSP reaction). The present study was undertaken to characterize the ultrastructural aspects of antibody-sporozoite interaction.