Prevalence of Plasmodium sp. infection on endemic primates in the Buton Utara Wildlife Sanctuary, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract Background The recent emergence of zoonotic malaria in many parts of Indonesia alerts the need to establish mitigation efforts to prevent and contain the cases. The archipelago of Indonesia is home to many species of non-human primates (NHPs), and massive deforestation has substantially reduced the NHPs' habitat and intensified the interaction between NHPs and humans. The present study aims to determine the malaria prevalence among the NHPs in the Buton Utara Wildlife Sanctuary (BUWS) and the risk of zoonotic malaria among the human inhabitant adjacent to the site. Methods Epidemiologic surveys were conducted to determine the prevalence of malaria on endemic primates inhabiting BUWS, Indonesia, between 2020 and 2021 through the capture and release of NHPs. Traps were installed in several localities surrounding the sanctuary that border the human settlement. The captured primate was anesthetized, and blood samples were aseptically drawn using phlebotomy to make a blood smear and dried blood spot (DBS) on filter paper. Results Analysis of the DNA extracted from the DBS revealed that ten of the 26 captured primates were infected with Plasmodium inui, 2 with P. cynomolgi, and 1 with P. simiovale. Molecular analysis on the primate species caught indicated that all were macaques and originated from one species, Macaca brunnescens as evidenced by the barcoding DNA markers using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I (COI) and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. Conclusions Overall, the findings indicate a high prevalence of malaria among NHPs in the wildlife sanctuary forest and deserve further surveillance to prevent spill-over to the human inhabitant surrounding the sanctuary.