The fifth parasite: Malaysia studies new malarial strain

Shelf of curiosities: Dr Reuben Sharma with part of UPM's national parasite reference collection. Jars of parasites dating back to the 1970s are stored at the building's parasitology lab. Current research focuses on Plasmodium knowlesi, a type of simian malaria shown to be an emerging zoonotic disease.

A deadly malarial strain has made the leap from monkeys to humans, and Malaysia is at the forefront of the research.

A SHELVING unit running across the length of a wall draws curious stares to its collection of bottled curiosities: a pickled cow hoof, floating specimens of parasitic helminths, tangles of worm-like ascaris, muscle tissue dotted with sarcocystis, and at the far right corner, a collection of Anopheles mosquitoes suspended in a clear viscous substance.