P knowlesi malaria ‘on the rise’

The government is warning that cases of malaria stemming from the Plasmodium knowlesi (P knowlesi) parasite are on the rise, leading to more than 70 cases in five months, about seven times the yearly average.

From Oct 1 last year to March 31 this year, Ranong, Songkhla and Trat detected a high number of P knowlesi infections, said government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana yesterday.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the authorities are closely monitoring the spread of the disease while instructing all government agencies concerned to speed up efforts to contain the spread and mitigate its impact on public health, he said.

As monkeys can also be affected by the parasite, people living or working in or near forest areas are at risk of contracting it, the PM said as quoted by Mr Thanakorn, adding residents and tourists visiting areas affected by P knowlesi cases should look out for signs of infection.

Monkeys are natural hosts of the P knowlesi parasite and marsh mosquitos (Anopheles) are carriers of the virus, said Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, directorgeneral of the Department of Disease Control (DDC).

Dr Opas said common symptoms include fever, headaches, shivering and sweating. If anyone is experiencing them, they must get a blood test conducted, he said.

P knowlesi infections can rapidly lead to severe malaria and it can be fatal, according to a 2018 study by the University of Malaya’s faculty of medicine in Malaysia.

The DDC’s vector-borne disease control division is closely monitoring the infection situation and sends out warnings to the public if a new case is reported, said Dr Apichart Vachiraphan, deputy director-general of the DDC.