Plasmodium knowlesi : Understanding the Epidemiology of a Zoonotic Malaria from a Multidisciplinary Study

Abstract: Plasmodium knowlesi is a malaria parasite, the natural host of which is long and pigtailed macaques. However, recent studies have identified large numbers of infections in humans some of which lead to hospitalisation and death. This is a major concern for public health authorities in Malaysia and other countries in the same region, yet what makes people specifically at risk for infection is largely unknown.

This talk will discuss a large interdisciplinary epidemiological study designed to examine what human, macaque and mosquito factors contribute to the transmission of this zoonotic malaria. It will also present how the use of detailed environmental classification can help disease control programmes better target their efforts to reduce infection. The aim is to highlight how multiple biological disciplines can be combined to produce improved understanding of how infectious diseases are transmitted, maintained and ultimately controlled.