Plasmodium cynomolgi: potential emergence of new zoonotic malaria in Southeast Asia
Abstract The reported cases of Plasmodium cynomolgi in Southeast Asia pose a significant public health concern. Sporadic reports of human Plasmodium cynomolgi infections have increased in the past few years, raising attention regarding its potential impact on human populations. Further compounding t...
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BMC
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06784-1 |
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| author | Nantha Kumar Jeyaprakasam Wei Kit Phang Shahhaziq Shahari Indra Vythilingam |
| author_facet | Nantha Kumar Jeyaprakasam Wei Kit Phang Shahhaziq Shahari Indra Vythilingam |
| author_sort | Nantha Kumar Jeyaprakasam |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The reported cases of Plasmodium cynomolgi in Southeast Asia pose a significant public health concern. Sporadic reports of human Plasmodium cynomolgi infections have increased in the past few years, raising attention regarding its potential impact on human populations. Further compounding this issue are the morphological similarities between P. cynomolgi and the human malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax, which may lead to misdiagnosis and underreporting of P. cynomolgi infections. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that P. cynomolgi can effectively invade human reticulocytes using mechanisms like those employed by P. vivax, underscoring its capacity to infect human hosts if given the opportunity. These studies collectively highlight the parasite's potential to establish infections in humans and emphasize the need for molecular diagnostic tools to accurately detect P. cynomolgi. Additionally, challenges in accurate diagnosis and surveillance systems may underestimate the true extent of their impact, making it imperative for healthcare authorities to bolster monitoring efforts and deploy targeted interventions. Strengthening surveillance, improving diagnostic capabilities, and developing targeted vector control strategies are crucial to mitigating the risk of P. cynomolgi becoming a major zoonotic disease like its counterpart, Plasmodium knowlesi. Thus, this review aims to highlight the current understanding of P. cynomolgi infections in human, vector, and macaque hosts based on collated data from previous studies while underscoring the urgent need for enhanced surveillance, accurate diagnostic tools, and effective vector control strategies to mitigate its potential as a significant zoonotic threat in Southeast Asia. Graphical abstract |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d33bb3d3650b4ee6bfc8eaa08ec62ae0 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj-art-d33bb3d3650b4ee6bfc8eaa08ec62ae02025-08-20T02:30:20ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052025-04-0118111710.1186/s13071-025-06784-1Plasmodium cynomolgi: potential emergence of new zoonotic malaria in Southeast AsiaNantha Kumar Jeyaprakasam0Wei Kit Phang1Shahhaziq Shahari2Indra Vythilingam3Biomedical Science Programme, Center for Toxicology and Health Risk Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti MalayaDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti MalayaDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti MalayaAbstract The reported cases of Plasmodium cynomolgi in Southeast Asia pose a significant public health concern. Sporadic reports of human Plasmodium cynomolgi infections have increased in the past few years, raising attention regarding its potential impact on human populations. Further compounding this issue are the morphological similarities between P. cynomolgi and the human malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax, which may lead to misdiagnosis and underreporting of P. cynomolgi infections. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that P. cynomolgi can effectively invade human reticulocytes using mechanisms like those employed by P. vivax, underscoring its capacity to infect human hosts if given the opportunity. These studies collectively highlight the parasite's potential to establish infections in humans and emphasize the need for molecular diagnostic tools to accurately detect P. cynomolgi. Additionally, challenges in accurate diagnosis and surveillance systems may underestimate the true extent of their impact, making it imperative for healthcare authorities to bolster monitoring efforts and deploy targeted interventions. Strengthening surveillance, improving diagnostic capabilities, and developing targeted vector control strategies are crucial to mitigating the risk of P. cynomolgi becoming a major zoonotic disease like its counterpart, Plasmodium knowlesi. Thus, this review aims to highlight the current understanding of P. cynomolgi infections in human, vector, and macaque hosts based on collated data from previous studies while underscoring the urgent need for enhanced surveillance, accurate diagnostic tools, and effective vector control strategies to mitigate its potential as a significant zoonotic threat in Southeast Asia. Graphical abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06784-1AnophelesDiagnosticsMacaquesMalariaNon-human primate (NHP)Plasmodium cynomolgi |
| spellingShingle | Nantha Kumar Jeyaprakasam Wei Kit Phang Shahhaziq Shahari Indra Vythilingam Plasmodium cynomolgi: potential emergence of new zoonotic malaria in Southeast Asia Parasites & Vectors Anopheles Diagnostics Macaques Malaria Non-human primate (NHP) Plasmodium cynomolgi |
| title | Plasmodium cynomolgi: potential emergence of new zoonotic malaria in Southeast Asia |
| title_full | Plasmodium cynomolgi: potential emergence of new zoonotic malaria in Southeast Asia |
| title_fullStr | Plasmodium cynomolgi: potential emergence of new zoonotic malaria in Southeast Asia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Plasmodium cynomolgi: potential emergence of new zoonotic malaria in Southeast Asia |
| title_short | Plasmodium cynomolgi: potential emergence of new zoonotic malaria in Southeast Asia |
| title_sort | plasmodium cynomolgi potential emergence of new zoonotic malaria in southeast asia |
| topic | Anopheles Diagnostics Macaques Malaria Non-human primate (NHP) Plasmodium cynomolgi |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06784-1 |
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