Plasmodium knowlesi infecting humans in Southeast Asia: What's next?

Plasmodium knowlesi, a simian malaria parasite, has been in the limelight since a large focus of human P. knowlesi infection was reported from Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo) in 2004. Although this infection is transmitted across Southeast Asia, the largest number of cases has been reported from Malaysia...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PLoS neglected tropical diseases 2020-12, Vol.14 (12), p.e0008900-e0008900
Main Authors: Jeyaprakasam, Nantha Kumar, Liew, Jonathan Wee Kent, Low, Van Lun, Wan-Sulaiman, Wan-Yusoff, Vythilingam, Indra
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Asia, Southeastern - epidemiology
Biology and life sciences
Biting
Countries
Disease transmission
Distribution
Health aspects
Human diseases
Humans
Identification and classification
Infections
Macaca
Macaques
Malaria
Malaria - epidemiology
Malaria - parasitology
Malaria - veterinary
Medicine and Health Sciences
Microscopy
Monkey Diseases - epidemiology
Monkey Diseases - parasitology
Mosquito Vectors
Mosquitoes
Parasites
People and Places
Plant cover
Plasmodium
Plasmodium knowlesi
Primates
Review
Risk factors
Tropical diseases
Vector-borne diseases
Zoonoses
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Description
Summary:Plasmodium knowlesi, a simian malaria parasite, has been in the limelight since a large focus of human P. knowlesi infection was reported from Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo) in 2004. Although this infection is transmitted across Southeast Asia, the largest number of cases has been reported from Malaysia. The increasing number of knowlesi malaria cases has been attributed to the use of molecular tools for detection, but environmental changes including deforestation likely play a major role by increasing human exposure to vector mosquitoes, which coexist with the macaque host. In addition, with the reduction in human malaria transmission in Southeast Asia, it is possible that human populations are at a greater risk of P. knowlesi infection due to diminishing cross-species immunity. Furthermore, the possibility of increasing exposure of humans to other simian Plasmodium parasites such as Plasmodium cynomolgi and Plasmodium inui should not be ignored. We here review the current status of these parasites in humans, macaques, and mosquitoes to support necessary reorientation of malaria control and elimination in the affected areas.
ISSN:1935-2735
1935-2727
1935-2735
DOI:10.1371/journal.pntd.0008900