MyMedR

Fulltext Knowledge, compliance, and challenges in anti-malarial products usage: a systematic review of at-risk communities for zoonotic malaria

Naserrudin NA, Adhikari B, Culleton R, Hod R, Jeffree MS, Ahmed K, et al.

BMC Public Health, 2024 Jan 29;24(1):317.

PMID: 38287308 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-17792-8

BACKGROUND: Zoonotic malaria is a growing public health threat in the WHO Southeast Asia (SEA) and Western Pacific (WP) regions. Despite vector-control measures, the distribution of Macaque fascicularis and M. nemestrina, and Anopheles mosquitoes carrying non-human simian malaria parasites poses challenges to malaria elimination. The systematic review assesses the literature on knowledge and malaria-preventive practices in zoonotic malaria-affected areas across the WHO SEA and WP, aiming to identify challenges for malaria control.

METHODS: Peer-reviewed articles published in English, Malay and Indonesian between January 2010 and December 2022 were searched in OVID Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Studies of any design-excluding reviews, conference proceedings, and reports from all WHO SEA and WP countries vulnerable to zoonotic malaria-were included. Backwards-reference screening and thematic analysis were conducted.

RESULTS: Among 4,174 initially searched articles, 22 peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria. An additional seven articles were identified through backwards-reference screening, resulting in a total of 29 articles for this review. Half of these studies were conducted in Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Thailand, mainly in forests and remote communities. The review highlighted inconsistencies in the operationalization of knowledge, and five major themes were identified related to knowledge: causation and transmission, symptoms, treatment, severity and complications, and malaria prevention. While participants generally had some understanding of malaria causation/transmission, minority and indigenous ethnic groups demonstrated limited knowledge and held misconceptions, such as attributing malaria to drinking dirty water. Preventive practices included traditional and non-traditional or modern methods-with a preference for traditional approaches to avoid mosquito bites. Challenges to malaria control included feasibility, cost, and access to healthcare services.

CONCLUSION: This review provides insights into knowledge, local understandings, and preventive practices related to malaria in the WHO SEA and WP regions. The findings highlight the need for future research to explore the knowledge of at-risk communities regarding zoonotic malaria, their perceive threat of the disease and factors exposing them to zoonotic malaria. New strategies must be developed for zoonotic malaria programs tailored to local contexts, emphasizing the significance of community participation, health education, and socio-behavioural change initiatives. It is important to consider the interconnectedness of human health, environmental and non-human primates conservation. Socio-cultural nuances should also be carefully considered in the design and implementation of these programs to ensure their effect tailored to local contexts.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaria*

Bird malaria parasites found in Malay Peninsula

OGAKI M

Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1949 Jul;29(4):459-62.

PMID: 18153046

Matched MeSH terms: Malaria, Avian*

Fulltext Plasmodium knowlesi malaria in Malaysia

Singh B, Daneshvar C

Med J Malaysia, 2010 Sep;65(3):166-72.

PMID: 21939162 MyJurnal

Plasmodium knowlesi, a simian malaria parasite, is now recognised as the fifth cause of human malaria and can lead to fatal infections in humans. Knowlesi malaria cases are widely distributed in East and West Malaysia and account for more than 50% of admissions for malaria in certain hospitals in the state of Sarawak. This paper will begin with a description of the early studies on P. knowlesi, followed by a review of the epidemiology, diagnosis, clinical and laboratory features, and treatment of knowlesi malaria.

Matched MeSH terms: Antimalarials/therapeutic use; Malaria/diagnosis; Malaria/drug therapy; Malaria/microbiology*; Malaria/epidemiology

Fulltext Spatial distribution of malaria in Peninsular Malaysia from 2000 to 2009

Alias H, Surin J, Mahmud R, Shafie A, Mohd Zin J, Mohamad Nor M, et al.

Parasit Vectors, 2014;7:186.

PMID: 24735583 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-186

Malaria is still an endemic disease of public health importance in Malaysia. Populations at risk of contracting malaria includes indigenous people, traditional villagers, mobile ethnic groups and land scheme settlers, immigrants from malaria endemic countries as well as jungle workers and loggers. The predominant species are Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax. An increasing number of P. knowlesi infections have also been encountered. The principal vectors in Peninsular Malaysia are Anopheles maculatus and An. cracens. This study aims to determine the changes in spatial distribution of malaria in Peninsular Malaysia from year 2000-2009.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaria/epidemiology*; Malaria/parasitology

Indirect flourescent antibody tests for Plasmodium falciparum infections

Thomas V, Leng YP

Med J Malaysia, 1977 Mar;31(3):204-7.

PMID: 333246

Matched MeSH terms: Malaria/blood; Malaria/diagnosis*

Trend of malaria incidence in highly endemic provinces along the Thai borders, 1991-2001

Konchom S, Singhasivanon P, Kaewkungwal J, Chupraphawan S, Thimasarn K, Kidson C, et al.

Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 2003 Sep;34(3):486-94.

PMID: 15115117

The intercountry border areas of Thailand have high malaria receptivity and vulnerability that present numerous problems in the control of malaria transmission. This study focused on the 30 provinces of Thailand situated next to neighboring countries, which can be divided into 4 groups: the Thai-Myanmar border (10 provinces), the Thai-Cambodia border (6 provinces), the Thai-Lao border (10 provinces) and the Thai-Malaysia border (4 provinces). The purpose of the present study was to describe the pattern and trend of malaria incidence in the highly endemic provinces along the Thai borders for the 11 years from 1991 to 2001. Analysis of trends showed the distribution of malaria parasites to have shifted from a preponderance of Plasmodium falciparum to Plasmodium vivax along the western border with Myanmar, the northern border with Lao PDR and along the eastern border with Cambodia whereas the southern border with Malaysia the pattern changed from a preponderance of P. vivax to P. falciparum, since 1997. There was a significant difference in annual parasite incidence between borders and non-border districts, especially along the Thai-Myanmar and Thai-Cambodia borders. It is thus evident that all border districts should pay more attention to control of malaria transmission and the activities of the malaria surveillance system, and that monitoring and evaluation of the Thai Malaria Control Program needs to be performed consistently, including some areas where a few malaria cases were found as well as in malaria free areas.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaria/epidemiology*; Malaria/prevention & control

Status of malaria vectors in Malaysia

Khoon CC

Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 1985 Mar;16(1):133-8.

PMID: 4023806

Matched MeSH terms: Malaria/prevention & control; Malaria/transmission*

Fulltext Association between Landscape Factors and Spatial Patterns of Plasmodium knowlesi Infections in Sabah, Malaysia

Fornace KM, Abidin TR, Alexander N, Brock P, Grigg MJ, Murphy A, et al.

Emerg Infect Dis, 2016 Feb;22(2):201-8.

PMID: 26812373 DOI: 10.3201/eid2202.150656

The zoonotic malaria species Plasmodium knowlesi has become the main cause of human malaria in Malaysian Borneo. Deforestation and associated environmental and population changes have been hypothesized as main drivers of this apparent emergence. We gathered village-level data for P. knowlesi incidence for the districts of Kudat and Kota Marudu in Sabah state, Malaysia, for 2008-2012. We adjusted malaria records from routine reporting systems to reflect the diagnostic uncertainty of microscopy for P. knowlesi. We also developed negative binomial spatial autoregressive models to assess potential associations between P. knowlesi incidence and environmental variables derived from satellite-based remote-sensing data. Marked spatial heterogeneity in P. knowlesi incidence was observed, and village-level numbers of P. knowlesi cases were positively associated with forest cover and historical forest loss in surrounding areas. These results suggest the likelihood that deforestation and associated environmental changes are key drivers in P. knowlesi transmission in these areas.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaria/epidemiology*; Malaria/parasitology*

Ovalocytosis protects against severe malaria parasitemia in the Malayan aborigines

Foo LC, Rekhraj V, Chiang GL, Mak JW

Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1992 Sep;47(3):271-5.

PMID: 1524139

The malaria parasite rates and densities were compared in 79 ovalocytic-normocytic pairs of Malayan Aborigines matched for age, sex, proximity of residence to each other, and use of bed nets when sleeping in their jungle settlement in central Peninsular Malaysia. Malaria infection was determined from thick and thin Giemsa-stained blood films collected monthly for a period of six months. Blood films from ovalocytic individuals were found to be positive for malaria less often than in persons with normal red blood cells (P less than 0.05). Malaria infections per 100 person-months at risk were 9.7 in the ovalocytic group compared with 15.19 in the normocytic group. Among individuals parasitemic at any time, heavy infections (greater than or equal to 10,000 parasites/mm3 of blood) with Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, and P. malariae were encountered only in normocytic subjects, which comprised approximately 12.5% of the malaria-positive individuals in this group. In an earlier survey of 629 settlers that identified subjects for the above study, the prevalence of ovalocytosis was found to increase significantly with age. The above field observations support the view that ovalocytic individuals might have a survival advantage in the face of malaria. Consideration of the ovalocytic factor is indicated in future evaluations of malaria control measures in areas where ovalocytosis is prevalent.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaria/blood; Malaria/complications*; Malaria/epidemiology; Malaria, Falciparum/blood; Malaria, Falciparum/complications; Malaria, Falciparum/epidemiology; Malaria, Vivax/blood; Malaria, Vivax/complications; Malaria, Vivax/epidemiology

Fulltext Strategies and approaches to vector control in nine malaria-eliminating countries: a cross-case study analysis

Smith Gueye C, Newby G, Gosling RD, Whittaker MA, Chandramohan D, Slutsker L, et al.

Malar J, 2016;15:2.

PMID: 26727923 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-015-1054-z

There has been progress towards malaria elimination in the last decade. In response, WHO launched the Global Technical Strategy (GTS), in which vector surveillance and control play important roles. Country experiences in the Eliminating Malaria Case Study Series were reviewed to identify success factors on the road to elimination using a cross-case study analytic approach.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaria

Fulltext Plasmodium knowlesi: the fifth human malaria parasite

White NJ

Clin Infect Dis, 2008 Jan 15;46(2):172-3.

PMID: 18171246 DOI: 10.1086/524889

Matched MeSH terms: Malaria/epidemiology*; Malaria/parasitology*; Malaria/transmission

Audit of imported and domestic malaria cases at Kuala Lumpur Hospital

Moore CS, Cheong I

Br J Clin Pract, 1995 Nov-Dec;49(6):304-7.

PMID: 8554954

The clinical, haematological and biochemical profiles of all domestic and imported malaria cases admitted to the Hospital Kuala Lumpur were analysed. The most common malaria types were Plasmodium falciparum (39.5%) and Plasmodium vivax (42%). The most common patient type was men aged 29-40 years (reflecting the high mobility of this group, many of whom were illegal immigrants). Misdiagnosis on admission was frequently due to the variable clinical presentation of the disease and the difficulties of obtaining an accurate history. Associated haematological abnormalities were common. Chloroquine resistance was diagnosed in four P. falciparum patients and in one P. falciparum/vivax patient. Overall, imported malaria did not seem more severe than domestic. The three patients with cerebral malaria survived. One patient died of acute liver failure. The large influx of illegal immigrants to Malaysia has resulted in a surge in malaria infection; illegal immigrants remain a source of chloroquine resistance.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaria, Falciparum/epidemiology*; Malaria, Vivax/epidemiology*

Natural Plasmodium infection in wild macaques of three states in peninsular Malaysia

Amir A, Shahari S, Liew JWK, de Silva JR, Khan MB, Lai MY, et al.

Acta Trop, 2020 Nov;211:105596.

PMID: 32589995 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105596

Zoonotic cases of Plasmodium knowlesi account for most malaria cases in Malaysia, and humans infected with P. cynomolgi, another parasite of macaques have recently been reported in Sarawak. To date the epidemiology of malaria in its natural Macaca reservoir hosts remains little investigated. In this study we surveyed the prevalence of simian malaria in wild macaques of three states in Peninsular Malaysia, namely Pahang, Perak and Johor using blood samples from 103 wild macaques (collected by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia) subjected to microscopic examination and nested PCR targeting the Plasmodium small subunit ribosomal RNA gene. As expected, PCR analysis yielded significantly higher prevalence (64/103) as compared to microscopic examination (27/103). No relationship between the age and/or sex of the macaques with the parasitaemia and the Plasmodium species infecting the macaques could be identified. Wild macaques in Pahang had the highest prevalence of Plasmodium parasites (89.7%), followed by those of Perak (69.2%) and Johor (28.9%). Plasmodium inui and P. cynomolgi were the two most prevalent species infecting the macaques from all three states. Half of the macaques (33/64) harboured two or more Plasmodium species. These data provide a baseline survey, which should be extended by further longitudinal investigations that should be associated with studies on the bionomics of the anopheline vectors. This information will allow an accurate evaluation of the risk of zoonotic transmission to humans, and to elaborate effective strategies to control simian malaria.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaria/epidemiology; Malaria/parasitology; Malaria/veterinary*

Naturalistic methods of malaria control

Hodgkin EP

Journal of the Malaya Branch of the British Medical Association, 1938;2:24-9.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaria

Malaria in the Netherlands Indies and its control

Overbeek JG, Stoker WJ

Journal of the Malaya Branch of the British Medical Association, 1938;1:281-304.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaria

A preliminary note on Malayan forms of Anopheles barbirostris

Reid JA

Journal of the Malaya Branch of the British Medical Association, 1941;5:71-2.