Plasmodium knowlesi: an update
Balbir Singh
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
Malaria Research Centre
University Malaysia Sarawak
94300 Kota Samarahan
Sarawak, Malaysia
Tel: +6 082 581000
Fax: +6 082 665152
Email: bsingh@unimas.my
Microbiology Australia 37(1) 39-42 https://doi.org/10.1071/MA16014
Published: 12 February 2016
Abstract
There were only four species of Plasmodium that were thought to cause malaria in humans until a large number of human infections by Plasmodium knowlesi, a malaria parasite typically found in long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques, were reported in 2004 in Malaysian Borneo. Since then, cases of knowlesi malaria have been reported throughout South-east Asia and also in travellers returning from the region. This article describes the molecular, entomological and epidemiological data which indicate that P. knowlesi is an ancient parasite that is primarily zoonotic, and there are three highly divergent sub-populations. It also describes the detection methods for P. knowlesi, which is morphologicaly similar to P. malariae, and the clinical features and treatment of this malaria parasite that is potentially fatal.
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