Plasmodium knowlesi: an update
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, werereported in2004in Malaysian Borneo. Since then, cases of knowle...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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CSIRO Publishing
2016
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| Online Access: | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/13617/ http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/13617/1/Plasmodium%20knowlesi.pdf |
| Summary: | 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,
werereported in2004in 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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