A weak spot identified in malaria-causing parasites may lead to new vaccines against the dreaded disease, researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute reported Wednesday.

Researchers identified a lock and key mechanism crucial for the parasite to infect red blood cells in a study published in the journal Nature.

The Plasmodium falciparum parasite that causes malaria links to red blood cells - a potential connection that researchers said could be blocked by vaccines.

"We have found out that this interaction between the parasite and the red blood cell is significant. We can now develop a vaccine that is based on one component of that reaction which is the protein that the parasite contains," Julian Rayner, one of the study authors, said.

"The vaccine will enable humans to manufacture antibodies that will emerge in the bloodstream should the parasite be introduced in their system. The immune system will now be equipped to fight the disease."

The World Health Organization reported more than 225 million malaria cases each year, a blood disease that causes 800,000 deaths annually. The disease affects children mostly from sub-Saharan Africa.

At the moment, an experimental vaccine against malaria is now being evaluated on the final phase of clinical testing. GlaxoSmithKline developed Mosquirix, with funds from the Gates Foundation.