Study on type and density of sand flies in the tourist places of Lower Southern part of Thailand

Abstract

This study is to find types and density of sand flies in tourist places of the Lower South of

Thailand (Trang, Phatthalung, Songkhla and Satun). The sand flies were trapped during 6.30 pm - 6.00 am of each day with ten light traps. Ten types of sand flies were found from cross-sectional study at tourism locations in these 4 provinces; which were Phlebotomus argentipes, P. stantoni, P. major, P. asperulus, Sergentomyia iyengari, S. gammea, S. indica, S. barraudi, S. anodontis and S. perturbans.

Phlebotomus argentipes, was found as an important vector of Leishmaniasis (0.36% and density of 0.05 sand fly/trap-night at Khao Roop Chang Cave Temple, Songkhla province; 1.32% density of 0.18 sand fly/trap-nightat Khao Namkhang tunnel cave, Songkhla province; and 8.96% and density of 0.52 sandfly/trap-night at Tarutao National Marine Park, Satun province. This study showed that there are various types of sand flies in the Lower South of Thailand and the abundance of them was depended on environment of each area. This study suggested that the potential of the sand flies vectors in Thailand should be studied for identification of primary vectors, secondary vectors and suspected vectors.

This study that the possibility of diversity of sand flies as the Leishmaniasis vector should be evaluated to specify as a primary vectors, secondary vectors or suspected vectors. These data can be used to warn patients at risk such as HIV infection patients, diabetic patients and the tourists in forest conservation area.