Plasmodium knowlesi: the game changer for malaria eradication

Abstract Plasmodium knowlesi is a zoonotic malaria parasite that has gained increasing medical interest over the past two decades. This zoonotic parasitic infection is prevalent in Southeast Asia and causes many cases with fulminant pathology. Despite several biogeographical restrictions that limit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Malaria Journal
Main Authors: Wenn-Chyau Lee, Fei Wen Cheong, Amirah Amir, Meng Yee Lai, Jia Hui Tan, Wei Kit Phang, Shahhaziq Shahari, Yee-Ling Lau
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: BMC 2022
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-022-04131-8
https://doaj.org/article/dfad729456194d6c850579bf46e1e494
Description
Summary:Abstract Plasmodium knowlesi is a zoonotic malaria parasite that has gained increasing medical interest over the past two decades. This zoonotic parasitic infection is prevalent in Southeast Asia and causes many cases with fulminant pathology. Despite several biogeographical restrictions that limit its distribution, knowlesi malaria cases have been reported in different parts of the world due to travelling and tourism activities. Here, breakthroughs and key information generated from recent (over the past five years, but not limited to) studies conducted on P. knowlesi were reviewed, and the knowledge gap in various research aspects that need to be filled was discussed. Besides, challenges and strategies required to control and eradicate human malaria with this emerging and potentially fatal zoonosis were described.