Human <it>Plasmodium knowlesi </it>infection in Ranong province, southwestern border of Thailand

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Plasmodium knowlesi</it>, a simian malaria parasite, has been reported in humans in many Southeast Asian countries. In Thailand, most of the limited numbers of cases reported so far were from areas near neighbouring c...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sermwittayawong Natthawan, Singh Balbir, Nishibuchi Mitsuaki, Sawangjaroen Nongyao, Vuddhakul Varaporn
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2012-02-01
Series:Malaria Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.malariajournal.com/content/11/1/36
_version_ 1818753714009145344
author Sermwittayawong Natthawan
Singh Balbir
Nishibuchi Mitsuaki
Sawangjaroen Nongyao
Vuddhakul Varaporn
author_facet Sermwittayawong Natthawan
Singh Balbir
Nishibuchi Mitsuaki
Sawangjaroen Nongyao
Vuddhakul Varaporn
author_sort Sermwittayawong Natthawan
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Plasmodium knowlesi</it>, a simian malaria parasite, has been reported in humans in many Southeast Asian countries. In Thailand, most of the limited numbers of cases reported so far were from areas near neighbouring countries, including Myanmar.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Blood samples collected from 171 Thai and 248 Myanmese patients attending a malaria clinic in Ranong province, Thailand, located near the Myanmar border were investigated for <it>P. knowlesi </it>using nested PCR assays. Positive samples were also investigated by PCR for <it>Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae </it>and <it>Plasmodium ovale</it>, and were confirmed by sequencing the gene encoding the circumsporozoite protein (<it>csp</it>).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two samples, one obtained from a Thai and the other a Myanmese, were positive for <it>P. knowlesi </it>only. Nucleotide sequences of the <it>csp </it>gene derived from these two patients were identical and phylogenetically indistinguishable from other <it>P. knowlesi </it>sequences derived from monkeys and humans. Both patients worked in Koh Song, located in the Kawthoung district of Myanmar, which borders Thailand.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study indicates that transmission of <it>P. knowlesi </it>is occurring in the Ranong province of Thailand or the Kawthoung district of Myanmar. Further studies are required to assess the incidence of knowlesi malaria and whether macaques in these areas are the source of the infections.</p>
first_indexed 2024-12-18T05:11:44Z
format Article
id doaj.art-88a6c1830b914d9bbc8856d2ee060fc4
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1475-2875
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-18T05:11:44Z
publishDate 2012-02-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Malaria Journal
spelling doaj.art-88a6c1830b914d9bbc8856d2ee060fc42022-12-21T21:19:52ZengBMCMalaria Journal1475-28752012-02-011113610.1186/1475-2875-11-36Human <it>Plasmodium knowlesi </it>infection in Ranong province, southwestern border of ThailandSermwittayawong NatthawanSingh BalbirNishibuchi MitsuakiSawangjaroen NongyaoVuddhakul Varaporn<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Plasmodium knowlesi</it>, a simian malaria parasite, has been reported in humans in many Southeast Asian countries. In Thailand, most of the limited numbers of cases reported so far were from areas near neighbouring countries, including Myanmar.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Blood samples collected from 171 Thai and 248 Myanmese patients attending a malaria clinic in Ranong province, Thailand, located near the Myanmar border were investigated for <it>P. knowlesi </it>using nested PCR assays. Positive samples were also investigated by PCR for <it>Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae </it>and <it>Plasmodium ovale</it>, and were confirmed by sequencing the gene encoding the circumsporozoite protein (<it>csp</it>).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two samples, one obtained from a Thai and the other a Myanmese, were positive for <it>P. knowlesi </it>only. Nucleotide sequences of the <it>csp </it>gene derived from these two patients were identical and phylogenetically indistinguishable from other <it>P. knowlesi </it>sequences derived from monkeys and humans. Both patients worked in Koh Song, located in the Kawthoung district of Myanmar, which borders Thailand.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study indicates that transmission of <it>P. knowlesi </it>is occurring in the Ranong province of Thailand or the Kawthoung district of Myanmar. Further studies are required to assess the incidence of knowlesi malaria and whether macaques in these areas are the source of the infections.</p>http://www.malariajournal.com/content/11/1/36<it>Plasmodium knowlesi</it>ThailandMyanmarCircumsporozoite protein
spellingShingle Sermwittayawong Natthawan
Singh Balbir
Nishibuchi Mitsuaki
Sawangjaroen Nongyao
Vuddhakul Varaporn
Human <it>Plasmodium knowlesi </it>infection in Ranong province, southwestern border of Thailand
Malaria Journal
<it>Plasmodium knowlesi</it>
Thailand
Myanmar
Circumsporozoite protein
title Human <it>Plasmodium knowlesi </it>infection in Ranong province, southwestern border of Thailand
title_full Human <it>Plasmodium knowlesi </it>infection in Ranong province, southwestern border of Thailand
title_fullStr Human <it>Plasmodium knowlesi </it>infection in Ranong province, southwestern border of Thailand
title_full_unstemmed Human <it>Plasmodium knowlesi </it>infection in Ranong province, southwestern border of Thailand
title_short Human <it>Plasmodium knowlesi </it>infection in Ranong province, southwestern border of Thailand
title_sort human it plasmodium knowlesi it infection in ranong province southwestern border of thailand
topic <it>Plasmodium knowlesi</it>
Thailand
Myanmar
Circumsporozoite protein
url http://www.malariajournal.com/content/11/1/36
work_keys_str_mv AT sermwittayawongnatthawan humanitplasmodiumknowlesiitinfectioninranongprovincesouthwesternborderofthailand
AT singhbalbir humanitplasmodiumknowlesiitinfectioninranongprovincesouthwesternborderofthailand
AT nishibuchimitsuaki humanitplasmodiumknowlesiitinfectioninranongprovincesouthwesternborderofthailand
AT sawangjaroennongyao humanitplasmodiumknowlesiitinfectioninranongprovincesouthwesternborderofthailand
AT vuddhakulvaraporn humanitplasmodiumknowlesiitinfectioninranongprovincesouthwesternborderofthailand