Healthy Adults Research Study
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) are conducting a research study to understand malaria and develop a vaccine.
Fast Facts
Ages 18-54
In Good Health
Compensation Provided
Conducted in Bethesda, MD
Study Background
Malaria is a common disease for many people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, causing sickness and sometimes death. Malaria can be treated, but vaccines aren’t generally available to protect people or limit its spread.
This study is investigating how malaria parasites grow in people’s blood and how the body responds. If you volunteer, you will be infected with malaria, and you will develop symptoms about 1 to 2 weeks later. We expect that you will experience symptoms similar to the flu.
Once you develop specific symptoms or have a certain number of parasites in your blood, you will be admitted to the NIH Clinical Center as an inpatient for 3–5 days.
During your stay, we will do some tests where mosquitoes will bite your arm or leg. We will also start you on medication to cure you of your malaria infection. After you are discharged from the hospital, we will continue to monitor you by phone and at clinic visits to ensure you are doing well and fully cured.
Join our compensated study!
Study Background
Malaria is a common disease for many people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, causing sickness and sometimes death. Malaria can be treated, but vaccines aren’t generally available to protect people or limit its spread.
This study is investigating how malaria parasites grow in people’s blood and how the body responds. If you volunteer, you will be infected with malaria, and you will develop symptoms about 1 to 2 weeks later. We expect that you will experience symptoms similar to the flu.
Once you develop specific symptoms or have a certain number of parasites in your blood, you will be admitted to the NIH Clinical Center as an inpatient for 3–5 days.
During your stay, we will do some tests where mosquitoes will bite your arm or leg. We will also start you on medication to cure you of your malaria infection. After you are discharged from the hospital, we will continue to monitor you by phone and at clinic visits to ensure you are doing well and fully cured.
Join our compensated study!
Additional Information
The purpose of this study is to better understand malaria.
You may qualify for this study if you meet the following criteria.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Ages 18-54
- In good health
- Willing to stay overnight as an inpatient for a least 3 days
- Not currently pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning on becoming pregnant or breastfeeding until the end of study
- Not diagnosed with HIV, hepatitis B, and/or hepatitis C
- Willing to use reliable contraception
- Reliable access to the clinical trial center in Bethesda, MD for the duration of the study
- No history of a severe reaction to insect bites, no history of anaphylaxis or severe allergy to any substance.
- Not smoking more than 5 cigarettes per day
- Willing to live with another person during the study
Once enrolled, this study lasts about 1 to 3 months. The time from your malaria injection to your last study day is about one month, but it may take up to 2 additional months beforehand to do the screening and schedule your injection. You will have multiple appointments at our outpatient clinic and one inpatient hospital stay of about 3 to 5 days. We will also check in with you by phone between appointments.
Compensation is provided up to $4025 for your participation.
There is no cost for you to participate in our research study.