SURVEY OF ECTOPARASITE FAUNA AND ASSOCIATED DISEASES IN THE PROVINCES ALONG THAILAND-MYANMAR, LAOS AND CAMBODIA BORDER

This study were conduct in 5 provinces in the border areas, namely: Tak (Thailand-Myanmar), Kanchanaburi (Thailand-Myanmar), Nongkhai (Thailand-Lao PDR), Surin (Thailand-Cambodia), Chantaburi (ThailandCambodia) by cooperate with the provincial health offices. Live traps were used for collect either domestic and wild rodents from May to July 2005. Measurement and identified rodent species were performed. Flea, tick, mites and chigger were collected from each trapped rodent and preserved in 70 % alcohol for identification. Blood sample were collected and kept in vials for immunological assay. One slide of blood smear and two slides of lung smear were done. Permanent slide of flea, tick, mites and chigger were done and examine under microscope. Blood and lung smear were stained either giemsa or Toluidine blue O and examine for protozoa diseases. Serum were examined by using immunofluorescent assay for scrub and murine typhus, using Enzyme-linked. The results showed the 358 of trapped rodent and average percentage were 25.3, 40.0., 7.0, 15.3 16.3 and 33.5 in Tak, Kanchanaburi, Nongkhai, Surin and Chantaburi respectively. The percentage of species density were 7.3 Bandicota indica, 20.1 B. savilei, 15.4 Rattus rattus, 3.9 R. losea, 6.7 R. berdmorei, 13.4 R. surifer, 2.5 R. fulvescenes, 20.7 R. exulans, 2.8 Mus cervicolor, 6.7 M. caroli and 0.6 Suncus murinus. The desity of fleas, ticks, mites and chigger in one rodent were 0.54, 0.25, 4.37 and 29.16. The prevalence antibody of Orientia tsusugamushi, Rickettsia tyhi and Hantavirus were 35, 9.8 and 10.9. The percentage of intestinal parasites were 9.9 with Hymenolepis diminuta, Hookworm and Trichuris trichiura. Parasite was not found in blood smear and lung smear. Rattus rattus was trend to reservoir host of scrub typhus, murine typhus, Hantavirus and parasitic infection.