BCG enables protection against malaria through adjuvanting an Adenovirus-vectored vaccine

The BCG vaccine against TB offers broader non-specific health benefits, including reduced malaria infection. This may stem from its ability to epigenetically imprint innate immune cells, enhancing subsequent response to pro-inflammatory stimuli, coupled with intrinsic adjuvanticity through direct activation of cell surface PRRs. Here we investigate whether vaccinating with BCG in parallel with an adenoviral-vectored vaccine could be beneficial for protection against malaria in a mouse model. We show that combining the two vaccines broadens and strengthens the early innate cytokine repertoire, enabling strong CD8 ⁺ T cell-dependent protection. Our findings reveal co-immunisation with BCG and a viral vector as a promising strategy to combat both TB and malaria in double-endemic regions.