First case of Plasmodium knowlesi infection in a Japanese traveller returning from Malaysia

Malaria Journal

Case Report

Moritoshi Iwagami¹  Shigeyuki Kano¹  Norio Ohmagari²  Kayoko Hayakawa²  Ryutaro Tanizaki²  Nozomi Takeshita²  Satoshi Kutsuna²  Aki Hashimoto²  Mugen Ujiie²  Yasuyuki Kato²  Shuzo Kanagawa² 

[1] Department of Tropical Medicine and Malaria, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, 1-21-1 Toyama, 162-8655, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan;Disease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, 1-21-1 Toyama, 162-8655, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan;

关键词: Plasmodium knowlesi;    Malaria;    Traveller;    Imported;    Mefloquine;    Japan;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1475-2875-12-128

 received in 2013-02-22, accepted in 2013-04-08,  发布年份 2013

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

This is the first case of Plasmodium knowlesi infection in a Japanese traveller returning from Malaysia. In September 2012, a previously healthy 35-year-old Japanese man presented to National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo with a two-day history of daily fever, mild headaches and mild arthralgia. Malaria parasites were found in the Giemsa-stained thin blood smear, which showed band forms similar to Plasmodium malariae. Although a nested PCR showed the amplification of the primer of Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium knowlesi, he was finally diagnosed with P. knowlesi mono-infection by DNA sequencing. He was treated with mefloquine, and recovered without any complications. DNA sequencing of the PCR products is indispensable to confirm P. knowlesi infection, however there is limited access to DNA sequencing procedures in endemic areas. The extent of P. knowlesi transmission in Asia has not been clearly defined. There is limited availability of diagnostic tests and routine surveillance system for reporting an accurate diagnosis in the Asian endemic regions. Thus, reporting accurately diagnosed cases of P. knowlesi infection in travellers would be important for assessing the true nature of this emerging human infection.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Tanizaki et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2013