Vaccine protection levels in mice immunized with different BDES constructs following challenge infections administered by the bites of mosquitoes infected with PfCSP-Tc/Pb.

aMice were screened for PfCSP-Tc/Pb blood-stage infections by microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained thin smears of tail blood prepared at days 5, 7, 9 and 14 after challenge infections from PfCSP-Tc/Pb-infected mosquitoes (3≤ mosquitoes ≤7/mouse). After the appearance of parasites in the blood, all of the mice died.bComplete protection is defined as the complete absence of blood-stage parasitemia on day 14 post- challenge.cCumulative data from three independent experiments (Exp. 1, 2 and 3 in Table S1).dEach group of immunized mice were compared with the non-immunized group (PBS) to test for statistically significant differences using Fisher's exact probability test.eVaccine efficacy was calculated using the formula: Efficacy = [1–[(number of infected animals (I)vaccine/total number of animals (n)vaccine)÷(number of infected animals control (I)/total number of animals (n) control)]]*100. Mean efficacies from three independent studies are shown.