A brief survey of phlebotomine sandflies in Thailand
Apiwathnasorn, C.; Sucharit, S.; Rongsriyam, Y.; Leemingsawat, S.; Kerdpibule, V.; Deesin, T.; Surathin, K.; Vutikes, S.; Punavuthi, N.
Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health 20(3): 429-432
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-1562 PMID: 2633351 Document Number: 340312
Interest in Thai sandflies has increased in recent years because labourers working abroad in areas endemic for leishmaniasis (and perhaps other sandfly-borne diseases), especially from the Middle East, are reported returning home infected. Only 9 species of Phlebotominae were previously known from Thailand, the records dating mostly from the 1930s. Brief but widespread surveys were conducted in May and December 1987 in areas chiefly in the Northeast of Thailand from localities such as forests, hills, plains and villages, and habitats such as caves, termite hills, abandoned houses, stone sanctuaries, tree hollows, loose tree bark, stream banks, air-raid shelters, rock crevices and poultry sheds, and from cattle baits. Collecting methods included light traps, aspirators, sticky traps and cow-baited traps. Seventeen species of Phlebotominae are now recorded from Thailand. Two species (Phlebotomus philippinensis gouldi, Sergentomyia mahadevani) were reported previously but were not found in the present survey; 2 species (P. argentipes and P. major major) are of interest in view of their potential as disease vectors. Other species found, some of which are newly recorded from Thailand, were: P. stantoni, P. teshi, S. anodontis, S. bailyi, S. barraudi, S. gemmea, S. hodgsoni hodgsoni, S. indica, S. iyengari, S. perturbans, S. punjabensis, S. silvatica and Nemopalpus vietnamensis. The authors report on the 15 species of phlebotomine sandflies collected in Thailand (mainly in the north-east) in May and December 1987, their distribution, means of collection, and resting habitats. The collections included the potential disease vectors Phlebotomus argentipes and P. major major.Carolyn A. Brown.