A deadly new form of malaria is spreading in Southeast Asia. The variety of the parasite carrying the disease is three more present than the most common agent.
New threat of malaria in Southeast Asia. This time, it’s a deadlier and more dangerous form than the one currently plaguing the region, according to a study presented on Monday, November 3, before the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) in New Orleans. .
13 times more cases in 14 years
Provided by the Plasmodium knowlesi, this form of malaria has so far only been known in monkeys, the study reveals. Today, this parasite is responsible for 68% of cases diagnosed in this region, thirteen times more in the past fourteen years. Plasmodium knowlesi is also three times more present than the parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the most common agent of the virus. The disease is spreading throughout the south-eastern part of the continent, with the exception of Laos.
Human-to-human transmission
If the parasite is transmitted from monkeys to humans through a mosquito bite, scientists fear, however, that contamination is already spreading from humans to humans. “The parasite that causes the infection reproduces every 24 hours in the blood, much faster than what is seen in other forms of malaria, making it one of the most dangerous Explains lead author of the study Balbir Singh of the University of Sarawak in Malaysia. This rapid spread is believed to be due to deforestation which has pushed the monkeys out of their habitat and closer to the villages.
Currently, more than 2,000 patients with malaria Plasmodium knowlesi are hospitalized in Malaysia. Almost all of the patients are adults, while malaria usually affects children more. The parasite would bite in an outdoor environment, making hunters and farmers their main v
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