Surveillance on Vectors of Malaria Disease in Rubber Plantation, Loei Province 2012

Abstract

From the policy to promote rubber plantation in Thailand since 1978, has increased rubber plantation areas in many parts of Thailand rapidly. Under this condition, it might also increase number of the anopheles mosquitoes (malaria-carrying mosquitoes) accordingly.  In addition: The Loei province which had an outbreak of malaria in the past might be returned

This was the survey study, that provide entomological surveillance of anopheles mosquitoes which include types, population density, times interval of mosquitoes’ bites in the community area of scratched rubber plantation. The local community of Mho 5 Ban NhamKue, TambolSeuw, AmphorMuang Loei, Loei Province, with the area of 2500 Rei, was chosen purposivelyin this study. The methodology were as followings: collected bite mosquitoes by the method called catch landing as indoor and outdoor processes by 8 volunteers; the procedure had been conducted  at a time interval between 6 pm to 6 am for two days; repeat the procedure four times during December 2011 to September 2012. The descriptive and inferential statistics were applied with two sample t-tests.

The results were declared that there were all 763 female anopheles mosquitoes with the bites rated of indoor and outdoor were 512 (69.57%) and 224 (30.43%), respectively. 720 main carrier of the mosquitoes were Anopheles minimus, the remain were Anopheles maculates group and Anophelesdirus and two other types of skeptical mosquitoes are Anophelesbarbrirostris and Anophelescampentis.TheAnopheles minimus bites ratio of indoor and outdoor were 2.38:1 or the average of 10.56 and 4.44 respectively which had statistical significantly at level of 0.05 (95%Confidence = 2.01-10.24, t-test = 2.997*, p-value = .004).  The peaks of time intervals for indoor and outdoor mosquitoes’ bites were during 3 am to 4 am and 2 am to 3 am, respectively. Mosquitoes’ population has the highest density on June 2012. 

The major conclusion of this study was that the main carrier of anopheles mosquitoes bite people found in rubber plantation community corresponded to time interval that people going to scratch their rubber trees accordingly. Even though nowadays there is no epidemic of malaria but still highly vulnerability for those people who live and work in the area.  It should be highly recommended that surveillance and prevention should be applied. Hygiene and health education such as thoroughly dress their clothes, coat their skin with insect propellants, and observe people came from malaria epidemic area.