Ecology and Evolution of Forest Malaria

Dear Colleagues,

Malaria is a vector-borne disease caused by Plasmodium parasites and transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes to humans. A global elimination effort is ongoing to eradicate Plasmodium falciparum malaria deaths and decrease the morbidity of Plasmodium vivax. As humans push malaria towards elimination, evidence of zoonotic malaria transmission poses threats to its eradication. A few real-life examples support this view. Plasmodium knowlesi—harbored by Macaca reservoirs in the forest—is the most frequent zoonotic malaria affecting humans in Malaysia, Southeast Asia. This parasite is phylogenetically related to P. vivax and had been co-infecting malarial individuals undetected until its role as a cause of human malaria was discovered. Plasmodium cynomolgi is another species that infects macaques and causes zoonotic malaria in humans in Southeast Asia. Plasmodium simium—a malaria parasite of New World monkeys—was reported in humans in Brazil in the 1960s, but not until recently has it emerged as one of the main causative agents of zoonotic malaria in the Brazilian Atlantic slopes of Serra do Mar. This likely occurred because of its misidentification as P. vivax over the last 50 years. Plasmodium brasilianum is another malaria parasite of New World monkeys that can infect humans in Brazil and South America.

Along with these multiple zoonotic parasites, important contributions are expected from the diversity of Anopheles species acting as vectors in the forest. Additionally, the emergence of zoonotic malaria in humans likely involves evolutionary processes, including human–simian spillover and spillback. These processes occur in various ecological settings in the New and Old Worlds. Here, this Special Issue aims to advance the knowledge of forest malaria. Contributions on any aspect of ecology and evolution of zoonotic malaria as an original research article, review or communication are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Gabriel Zorello Laporta
Prof. Dr. Maria Anice Mureb Sallum
Dr. Ana Maria Ribeiro de Castro Duarte
Guest Editors

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