Majority of the imported malaria cases in Korea is attributed to Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax infections, whereas P. malariae and P. ovale infections are very rare. Falciparum and ovale malaria are mostly imported from Africa, while most of the vivax malaria cases are imported from Southeast Asia. Here, we report 6 Korean imported ovale malaria cases (4 males and 2 females) who had visited in Africa during 2013-2016. These subjects were diagnosed with P. ovale based on microscopic findings, Plasmodium species-specific nested-PCR, and phylogenetic clade using 18S rRNA gene sequences. We identified 2 P. ovale subtypes, 1 P. ovale curtisi (classic type) and 5 P. ovale wallikeri (variant type). All patients were treated with chloroquine and primaquine, and no relapse or recrudescence was reported for 1 year after treatment. With increase of travelers to the countries where existing Plasmodium species, the risk of Plasmodium infection is also increasing. Molecular monitoring for imported malaria parasites should be rigorously and continuously performed to enable diagnosis and certification of Plasmodium spp.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Identification of Pharmacophore Groups with Antimalarial Potential in Flavonoids by QSAR-Based Virtual Screening Adriana de Oliveira Fernandes, Valéria Vieira Moura Paixão, Yria Jaine Andrade Santos, Eduardo Borba Alves, Ricardo Pereira Rodrigues, Daniela Aparecida Chagas-Paula, Aurélia Santos Faraoni, Rosana Casoti, Marcus Vinicius de Aragão Batista, Marcel Bermude Drugs and Drug Candidates.2025; 4(3): 33. CrossRef
Epidemiological Profile and Risk Factors for Malaria in Rural Communities Before the Operationalization of the Singrobo–Ahouaty Dam, Southern Côte d’Ivoire Taki Jean Deles Avenié, Kigbafori Dieudonné Silué, Négnorogo Guindo-Coulibaly, Naférima Koné, Sadikou Touré, Kouamé Laurent Valian, Kouassi Séraphin Kouadio, Alloua Marie Joelle Bédia, Boza Fulgence Déabo, Klotcholman Diabagaté, Christian Nsanzabana, Jean Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease.2025; 10(7): 197. CrossRef
Missed Plasmodium ovale Infections Among Symptomatic Persons in Angola, Mozambique, and Ethiopia Colleen M Leonard, Jimee Hwang, Ashenafi Assefa, Rose Zulliger, Baltazar Candrinho, Pedro Rafael Dimbu, Abuchahama Saifodine, Mateusz Plucinski, Eric Rogier Open Forum Infectious Diseases.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
Elevated plasma α1-antichymotrypsin is a biomarker candidate for malaria patients Young Yil Bahk, Sang Bong Lee, Jong Bo Kim, Tong-Soo Kim, Sung-Jong Hong, Dong Min Kim, Sungkeun Lee BMB Reports.2022; 55(11): 571. CrossRef
Recent Spatial and Temporal Trends of Malaria in Korea Yeong Hoon Kim, Hye-Jin Ahn, Dongjae Kim, Sung-Jong Hong, Tong-Soo Kim, Ho-Woo Nam The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2021; 59(6): 585. CrossRef
First
Prev
