Full list of author information is available at the end of the articleBackground Annually, an estimated 219 million people are infected with malaria and the disease is endemic in 104 countries [1]. Plasmodium falciparum malaria is associated with the highest mortality and is accordingly prioritized in research and control. Another species, Plasmodium vivax, has gained less scientific attention despite being the most widely distributed malaria species endemic in tropical and subtropical countries worldwide, with an estimated 2.8 billion people currently at risk [2-4]. It is estimated that at least 130 million people are infected with P. vivax annually [5], causing significant economic and financial burden to affected countries [6]. In histor...