Tracking <i>Plasmodium knowlesi</i> Through Fecal DNA for Monitoring Zoonotic Transmission in Wild Macaques Across Southeast and South Asia
We conducted the non-invasive surveillance of Plasmodium knowlesi in wild macaques using 4,752 faecal samples collected across nine endemic countries. Parasite DNA was detected in 390 samples (8.2%), with positivity rates ranging from 1.4% to 18.4%. This provides the first field-based evidence that P. knowlesi DNA in faeces shed by macaques and present under natural conditions can be detected. These findings validate faecal sampling as a practical and scalable tool for tracking zoonotic-malaria. The results support integration into forest-runoff and rural wastewater surveillance systems, offering new opportunities for early detection of pathogens and environmental monitoring at the human-wildlife interface.
Authors
- Phatthranit Phattharapornjaroen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4391-2929)
- Fernandez Stefan
- Puey Ounjai (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3335-6199)
- Traychit Chanthasiri
- Chorney Eang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9943-601X)
- Charin Modchang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0739-006X)
- Cameron Hurst (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4577-8962)
- Yoshitaka Shimotai (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9612-3261)
- Hiroshi Hamamoto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9315-7442)
- John Jefferson V. Besa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5505-1855)
- Shuichi Abe
- D. Sano
- Kazuhiko Miyanaga (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3483-9491)
- Naveen Kumar Devanga Ragupathi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8667-7132)
- Jinxin Zhao
- Wang Yangzhong
- Nada M. Melhem
- Anthony Kicic
- Sirirat Luk-in (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0869-7562)
- Ali Reza Zahraei-Ramazani
- Ng Sin Hui
- Hirotake Mori
- Mohan Amarasiri
- Kazunari Sei
- Dhammika Leshan Wannigama
- Özgür Kurt
- Ratana Tacharoenmuang
- W K C P Werawatte
- Kenji Shibuya
- Longzhu Cui
- Alice Kauba
- Mahesh Dharne
- Natharin Ngamwongsatit
- Xiaonan Yang
- Talerngsak Kanjanabuch
- Thin Sandi Htun
- Paul G Higgins
- Andrew C Singer
- Tetsuji Aoyagi
- Lavinia Romone
- Lazarus G Ndatuwong
- Sam Trowsdale
- Aisha Khatib
- Bernadina Cynthia
- Parichart Hongsing
Institutions
- Adamawa State University (NG)
- Thammasat University (TH)
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (BR)
- Yamagata University (JP)
- University Malaya Medical Centre (MY)
- Jichi Medical University (JP)
- University of Auckland (NZ)
- Chulalongkorn University (TH)
- University of Goroka (PG)
- The Kids Research Institute Australia (AU)
- Wayamba University of Sri Lanka (LK)
- The University of Western Australia (AU)
- University of Cologne (DE)
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Tohoku University (JP)
- Curtin University (AU)
- Mahidol University (TH)
- Discovery Institute (US)
- Mahosot Hospital (LA)
- Princess Margaret Hospital for Children (AU)
- Philippine General Hospital (PH)
- King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (TH)
- University of Indonesia (ID)
- National Chemical Laboratory (IN)
- Acıbadem University (TR)
- Mae Fah Luang University (TH)
- Juntendo University (JP)
- United States Army (US)
- Vector & Vector-Borne Diseases Research Institute (TZ)
- Mater Research (AU)
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (GB)
- Chulabhorn Hospital (TH)
- Thailand Center of Excellence in Physics (TH)
- Akebono Clinic (JP)
- Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Science (TH)
- German Center for Infection Research (DE)
- Centre of Excellence in Mathematics (TH)
- Fuyang Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital (CN)
- Yamagata Prefectural Central Hospital (JP)
- Fuling Center Hospital of Chongqing (CN)
- HealthCare Interactive (US)
- National Institute of Health of Thailand (TH)
- Vanuatu Cultural Centre (VU)
- University Hospital Cologne (DE)
- Institute of Medical Sciences (IN)
- Kitasato University (JP)
- Tehran University of Medical Sciences (IR)
- Royal University of Phnom Penh (KH)
- University of Sheffield (GB)
- Yamagata Prefectural University of Health Sciences (JP)
- American University of Beirut (LB)
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (IN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- The Journal of Infectious Diseases
- Published
- 2026-03-02
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiag128
- Primary Topic
- Malaria Research and Control
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention