Plasmodium knowlesi

Epidemiology

• South & Southeast Asia
• reservoir is macaque monkey
• completes blood life cycle in 24 hours

Pathology

• parasitemia may be high
• high risk of severe malaria
• mimics Plasmodium falciparum

Laboratory

• Plasmodium identified in blood by light microscopy (peripheral blood smear)
  • all stages of the parasite may be seen
• Plasmodium knowlesi DNA

Management

• sensitive to chloroquine
• no risk of relapse once treated

More general terms

• Plasmodium

Additional terms

• malaria