# Plasmodium knowlesi Malaria in Persons Returning to Israel from Thailand, 2023

## TL;DR

Two cases of Plasmodium knowlesi malaria were found in Israeli travelers returning from Thailand, highlighting the disease's possible geographic expansion and diagnostic challenges.

## Contribution

Reports the first known cases of P. knowlesi malaria in Israeli travelers, suggesting geographic expansion of the infection.

## Key findings

- Two Israeli travelers contracted Plasmodium knowlesi malaria after visiting Thailand in 2023.
- One case suggests possible geographic expansion of P. knowlesi into new regions.
- The rarity and diagnostic challenges of P. knowlesi malaria emphasize the need for clinical awareness.

## Abstract

We describe 2 cases of Plasmodium knowlesi malaria in persons from Israel who traveled to Thailand in 2023. One patient, likely infected in northwestern Thailand, might signal geographic expansion into areas not previously associated with human infection. The infection’s rarity in travelers, diagnostic challenges, and potential severity underscore the importance of clinical awareness.