Intestinal Parasites Isolated from House-flies in the Tourist Attraction Areas in Thailand

Abstract

Abstract

This study was conducted in tourist areas throughout Thailand to determine adult fly contamination with parasite eggs and larvae. Trapping of flies with fly traps using rotten meat as bait and using an insect sweep net method was done. After knocking down under direct sunlight or in an ice box, the collected flies were preserved in a formalin-detergent solution and brought to the laboratory. Parasite eggs and larvae on the body surface of flies were separated by an ultrasonic cleaner method. Fly species identification was performed before the flies were blended to detect parasites in their internal organs. A total of 4,615 flies were captured from 51 tourist areas in 22 provinces of Thailand, including Bangkok. Eleven kinds of helminth eggs and larvae were found on these flies,they were identified as the eggs of Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, hookworm, Enterobius vermicularis, Taenia sp, Opisthorchis viverrini/minute intestinal fluke, Spirometra sp, Echinostoma sp, Eurytrema sp and a trematode egg (suspected Paragonimus sp). First stage larvae of Angiostrongylus sp were found from flies caught in Chiangmai Province. Taenia eggs were commonly isolated from flies in tourist areas. The highest number of eggs found belonged to E. vermicularis. A number of unknown nematode larvae and mites were also detected from flies in tourist areas, but none were protozoan parasites.

Keywords: helminth eggs; fly; tourist areas