A novel PCR-based system for the detection of four species of human malaria parasites and Plasmodium knowlesi

Abstract Background Studies of the malaria parasites infecting various non-human primates (NHPs) have increased our understanding of the origin, biology and pathogenesis of human Plasmodium parasites. This review considers the major discoveries concerning NHP malaria parasites, highlights their relationships with human malaria and considers the impact that this may have on attempts to eradicate the disease. Results The first description of NHP malaria parasites dates back to the early 20th century. Subsequently, experimental and fortuitous findings indicating that some NHP malaria parasites can be transmitted to humans have raised concerns about the possible impact of a zoonotic malaria reservoir on efforts to control human malaria. Advances in molecular techniques over the last 15 years have contributed greatly to our knowledge of the existence and geographical distribution of numerous Plasmodium species infecting NHPs, and extended our understanding of their close phylogenetic relationships with human malaria parasites. The clinical application of such techniques has also made it possible to document ongoing spillovers of NHP malaria parasites (Plasmodium knowlesi, P. cynomolgi, P. simium, P. brasilianum) in humans living in or near the forests of Asia and South America, thus confirming that zoonotic malaria can undermine efforts to eradicate human malaria. Conclusions Increasing molecular research supports the prophetic intuition of the pioneers of modern malariology who saw zoonotic malaria as a potential obstacle to the full success of malaria eradication programmes. It is, therefore, important to continue surveillance and research based on one-health approaches in order to improve our understanding of the complex interactions between NHPs, mosquito vectors and humans during a period of ongoing changes in the climate and the use of land, monitor the evolution of zoonotic malaria, identify the populations most at risk and implement appropriate preventive strategies.

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Structure, Function and Inhibition of the Phosphoethanolamine Methyltransferases of the Human Malaria Parasites Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium knowlesi

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/srep09064 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Aprajita Garg ◽

Tiit Lukk ◽

Vidya Kumar ◽

Jae-Yeon Choi ◽

Yoann Augagneur ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Structure Function ◽

Plasmodium Vivax ◽

Plasmodium Knowlesi ◽

Malaria Parasites ◽

Human Malaria

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Neutralization of the infectivity of sporozoites of Plasmodium knowlesi by antibodies to a synthetic peptide.

Journal of Experimental Medicine ◽

10.1084/jem.160.3.935 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 160 (3) ◽

pp. 935-940 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

J Gysin ◽

J Barnwell ◽

D H Schlesinger ◽

V Nussenzweig ◽

R S Nussenzweig

Keyword(s):

Synthetic Peptide ◽

Plasmodium Knowlesi ◽

Humoral Response ◽

Circumsporozoite Protein ◽

Immunoradiometric Assay ◽

Native Protein ◽

Malaria Parasites ◽

Human Malaria ◽

Anopheles Mosquitoes ◽

Cross Links

Antibodies against a synthetic peptide representing the repetitive epitope of the circumsporozoite protein (CS) of Plasmodium knowlesi have properties similar to those of antibodies against the native protein. Either antibody reacts with the synthetic peptide, cross-links the CS protein on the membrane of the parasite giving the CSP reaction, and neutralizes the infectivity of sporozoites. The synthetic peptide and sporozoite extracts were equally effective when used in an immunoradiometric assay as antigens to detect antibodies to CS proteins. It is likely that the corresponding synthetic repeats from the human malaria parasites could be used to measure levels of anti-sporozoite antibodies in endemic areas, or to evaluate the humoral response to anti-sporozoite vaccines. The authors are grateful to Dr. Robert Gwadz, NIH, for supplying Anopheles mosquitoes and P. knowlesi sporozoites used in this study.

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Malaria distribution and performance of malaria diagnostic methods in Malaysia (1980–2019): a systematic review

Malaria Journal ◽

10.1186/s12936-020-03470-8 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mohd Amirul Fitri A. Rahim ◽

Mohd Bakhtiar Munajat ◽

Zulkarnain Md Idris

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Plasmodium Knowlesi ◽

English Literature ◽

Malaria Diagnosis ◽

Peninsular Malaysia ◽

Diagnostic Methods ◽

Sufficient Information ◽

Malaria Parasites ◽

Clear Trend ◽

Human Malaria

Abstract Background Malaysia has already achieved remarkable accomplishments in reaching zero indigenous human malaria cases in 2018. Prompt malaria diagnosis, surveillance and treatment played a key role in the country’s elimination success. Looking at the dynamics of malaria distribution during the last decades might provide important information regarding the potential challenges of such an elimination strategy. This study was performed to gather all data available in term of prevalence or incidence on Plasmodium infections in Malaysia over the last four decades. Methods A systematic review of the published English literature was conducted to identify malaria distribution from 1980 to June 2019 in Malaysia. Two investigators independently extracted data from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Elsevier databases for original papers. Results The review identified 46 epidemiological studies in Malaysia over the 39-year study period, on which sufficient information was available. The majority of studies were conducted in Malaysia Borneo (31/46; 67.4%), followed by Peninsular Malaysia (13/46; 28.3%) and in both areas (2/46; 4.3%). More than half of all studies (28/46; 60.9%) were assessed by both microscopy and PCR. Furthermore, there was a clear trend of decreases of all human malaria species with increasing Plasmodium knowlesi incidence rate throughout the year of sampling period. The summary estimates of sensitivity were higher for P. knowlesi than other Plasmodium species for both microscopy and PCR. Nevertheless, the specificities of summary estimates were similar for microscopy (40–43%), but varied for PCR (2–34%). Conclusions This study outlined the epidemiological changes in Plasmodium species distribution in Malaysia. Malaria cases shifted from predominantly caused by human malaria parasites to simian malaria parasites, which accounted for the majority of indigenous cases particularly in Malaysia Borneo. Therefore, malaria case notification and prompt malaria diagnosis in regions where health services are limited in Malaysia should be strengthened and reinforced to achieving the final goal of malaria elimination in the country.

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Malaria distribution and performance of malaria diagnostic methods in Malaysia (1980-2019): a systematic review

10.21203/rs.3.rs-29459/v4 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mohd Amirul Fitri A. Rahim ◽

Mohd Bakhtiar Munajat ◽

Zulkarnain Md Id

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Plasmodium Knowlesi ◽

English Literature ◽

Malaria Diagnosis ◽

Peninsular Malaysia ◽

Diagnostic Methods ◽

Sufficient Information ◽

Malaria Parasites ◽

Clear Trend ◽

Human Malaria

Abstract Background Malaysia has already achieved remarkable accomplishments in reaching zero indigenous human malaria cases in 2018. Prompt malaria diagnosis, surveillance and treatment played a key role in the country’s elimination success. Looking at the dynamics of malaria distribution during the last decades might provide important information regarding the potential challenges of such an elimination strategy. This study was performed to gather all data available in term of prevalence or incidence on Plasmodium infections in Malaysia over the last four decades. Methods A systematic review of the published English literature was conducted to identify malaria distribution from 1980 to June 2019 in Malaysia. Two investigators independently extracted data from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Elsevier databases for original papers.Results The review identified 46 epidemiological studies in Malaysia over the 39-year study period, on which sufficient information was available. The majority of studies were conducted in Malaysia Borneo (31/46; 67.4%), followed by Peninsular Malaysia (13/46; 28.3%) and in both areas (2/46; 4.3%). More than half of all studies (28/46; 60.9%) were assessed by both microscopy and PCR. Furthermore, there was a clear trend of decreases of all human malaria species with increasing Plasmodium knowlesi incidence rate throughout the year of sampling period. The summary estimates of sensitivity were higher for P. knowlesi than other Plasmodium species for both microscopy and PCR. Nevertheless, the specificities of summary estimates were similar for microscopy (40 – 43%), but varied for PCR (2 – 34%).Conclusions This study outlined the epidemiological changes in Plasmodium species distribution in Malaysia. Malaria cases shifted from predominantly caused by human malaria parasites to simian malaria parasites, which accounted for the majority of indigenous cases particularly in Malaysia Borneo. Therefore, malaria case notification and prompt malaria diagnosis in regions where health services are limited in Malaysia should be strengthened and reinforced to achieving the final goal of malaria elimination in the country.

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Plasmodium knowlesi and human malaria parasites in Khan Phu, Vietnam: Gametocyte production in humans and frequent co-infection of mosquitoes

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182016002110 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 144 (4) ◽

pp. 527-535 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Y. MAENO ◽

R. CULLETON ◽

N. T. QUANG ◽

S. KAWAI ◽

R. P. MARCHAND ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Salivary Glands ◽

Malaria Parasite ◽

Plasmodium Knowlesi ◽

Plasmodium Malariae ◽

Transmission Dynamics ◽

Malaria Parasites ◽

Macaque Monkeys ◽

Human Malaria ◽

Human Infections ◽

Specific Mrna

SUMMARYFour species of malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium knowlesi infect humans living in the Khanh Phu commune, Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam. The latter species also infects wild macaque monkeys in this region. In order to understand the transmission dynamics of the three species, we attempted to detect gametocytes of the three species in the blood of infected individuals, and sporozoites in the salivary glands of mosquitoes from the same region. For the detection of gametocyte-specific mRNA, we targeted region 3 of pfg377, pvs25, pmg and pks25 as indicators of the presence of P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae and P. knowlesi gametocytes, respectively. Gametocyte-specific mRNA was present in 37, 61, 0 and 47% of people infected with P. falciparum (n = 95), P. vivax (n = 69), P. malariae (n = 6) or P. knowlesi (n = 32), respectively. We found that 70% of mosquitoes that had P. knowlesi in their salivary glands also carried human malaria parasites, suggesting that mosquitoes are infected with P. knowlesi from human infections.

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Development of transgenic fungi that kill human malaria parasites in mosquitoes.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.11706956.12786055 ◽

2011 ◽

Author(s):

Saskia Hogenhout

Keyword(s):

Malaria Parasites ◽

Human Malaria

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A cornucopia of research resources for the fourth rodent malaria parasite species

BMC Biology ◽

10.1186/s12915-021-01019-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jane M. Carlton

Keyword(s):

Malaria Parasite ◽

Parasite Species ◽

First Century ◽

Model Systems ◽

Rodent Malaria Parasite ◽

Malaria Parasites ◽

Rodent Malaria ◽

Human Malaria ◽

Plasmodium Vinckei ◽

Research Resources

AbstractThe study of human malaria caused by species of Plasmodium has undoubtedly been enriched by the use of model systems, such as the rodent malaria parasites originally isolated from African thicket rats. A significant gap in the arsenal of resources of the species that make up the rodent malaria parasites has been the lack of any such tools for the fourth of the species, Plasmodium vinckei. This has recently been rectified by Abhinay Ramaprasad and colleagues, whose pivotal paper published in BMC Biology describes a cornucopia of new P. vinckei ‘omics datasets, mosquito transmission experiments, transfection protocols, and virulence phenotypes, to propel this species firmly into the twenty-first century.

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