Plasmodium cynomolgi Infections Not Found in Microscopy-Diagnosed Malaria Cases across Sabah, Malaysia

Abstract

Zoonotic malaria presents a major public health challenge in Southeast Asia. Plasmodium cynomolgi coinfects the same macaque hosts and mosquito vectors as the most common cause of zoonotic malaria, Plasmodium knowlesi. Plasmodium cynomolgi appears morphologically similar to Plasmodium vivax on microscopy and can amplify P. vivax polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, confounding transmission estimates. We screened 2,103 samples for P. cynomolgi across all 26 districts in Sabah, Malaysia, from 2010 to 2021. Samples comprised 1,425 P. knowlesi, 256 P. vivax, 293 P. falciparum, and 31 Plasmodium malariae PCR-confirmed malaria cases and 100 malaria microscopy-positive and species-specific PCR-negative samples. A nested PCR assay targeting P. cynomolgi-specific 18S small subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid with a detection limit of ∼2 parasites/µL was conducted on whole blood samples. No P. cynomolgi infections were detected. Symptomatic P. cynomolgi co-infections appear rare in Malaysia, although prevalence may be underestimated owing to the absence of routine molecular screening and the sensitivity of available assays.