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Investigations on the occurrence of Plasmodium knowlesi in travellers returning from the endemic areas of simian malaria
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Abstract
Malaria remains an important public health issue all over the world. Among 5 Plasmodium species invasive to humans, Plasmodium knowlesi has been identified most recently. It is sometimes difficult to differentiate this species from P. malariae with the use of microscopic examination. However, P. knowlesi infection may be associated with rapidly increasing parasitaemia and severe clinical course with the risk of death. Samples from Polish travellers returning from areas where simian malaria is endemic were examined with the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The small subunit of ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) genes was subjected to analysis using nested PCR reaction. No positive results of P. knowlesi were obtained. Due to morphological similarities to P. malariae, potentially severe clinical course of infection and P. knowlesi endemic regions being a common tourist destination, diagnostic and clinical vigilance is necessary, including molecular methods use for precise parasite identification.
Abstract
Malaria remains an important public health issue all over the world. Among 5 Plasmodium species invasive to humans, Plasmodium knowlesi has been identified most recently. It is sometimes difficult to differentiate this species from P. malariae with the use of microscopic examination. However, P. knowlesi infection may be associated with rapidly increasing parasitaemia and severe clinical course with the risk of death. Samples from Polish travellers returning from areas where simian malaria is endemic were examined with the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The small subunit of ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) genes was subjected to analysis using nested PCR reaction. No positive results of P. knowlesi were obtained. Due to morphological similarities to P. malariae, potentially severe clinical course of infection and P. knowlesi endemic regions being a common tourist destination, diagnostic and clinical vigilance is necessary, including molecular methods use for precise parasite identification.
Keywords
simian malaria, Plasmodium knowlesi, travel medicine, tropical diseases, PCR
Title
Investigations on the occurrence of Plasmodium knowlesi in travellers returning from the endemic areas of simian malaria
Journal
Issue
Article type
Original article
Pages
168-172
Published online
2015-09-22
Page views
1641
Article views/downloads
1990
DOI
10.5603/IMH.2015.0033
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
IMH 2015;66(3):168-172.
Keywords
simian malaria
Plasmodium knowlesi
travel medicine
tropical diseases
PCR
Authors
Beata Biernat
Anna Lass
Halina Pietkiewicz
Beata Szostakowska
Agnieszka Wroczyńska
Anna Kuna
Wacław L. Nahorski