Pre-erythrocytic antigens of Plasmodium falciparum: from rags to riches?

A growing number of Plasmodium genomes have joined the sequencing treadmill, and the genome of Plasmodium falciparum has recently been published. Most malaria vaccinologists will soon be confronted by a bewildering array of new potential antigens from the recently completed genome of this parasite. However, for those aiming to target the pre-erythrocytic stages of the hepatic parasite, the wait might be long. In the absence of readily available materials and specific reagents, the selection of pre-erythrocytic antigens from raw sequence data is likely to prove difficult. Here, current knowledge of pre-erythrocytic antigens is updated in the light of recent results, and the post-genomic prospects of completing the antigenic repertoire of these immunologically important and intriguing stages is discussed.