The MONKEYBAR project is a multidisciplinary collaborative research project on the zoonotic malaria, Plasmodium knowlesi, funded by a 5-year grant from the UK Research Councils (2012-2017).

In the last decade, reports have emerged from Malaysia of naturally acquired human infections of P. knowlesi, a malaria parasite that was previously thought only to infect long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques in Southeast Asia. This is a potentially serious public health problem and cause severe and fatal malaria.

Factors determining the emergence of this zoonotic infection are largely undescribed and it is hypothesised that environmental change is driving P. knowlesi into certain human populations. Using an interdisciplinary network of researchers in the UK, the Philippines and Malaysia, this project seeks to characterise the environment (socio-economic and natural) that supports P. knowlesi infection in its hosts and vectors, to determine risk factors for exposure in humans and to inform and target control measures.

This project focuses on research sites in Sabah, Malaysia and Palawan, the Philippines. Key impacts include:

• First study linking deforestation with P. knowlesi
• Use of drones for infectious disease epidemiology research
• Contribution to WHO guidelines for treatment and management of P. knowlesi
• Identification of main mosquito vector for P. knowlesi in Northern Sabah, Malaysia

Individual risk factors for clinical P. knowlesi infection.