title: The majority of cockroaches from the Samutprakarn province of Thailand are carriers of parasitic organisms.
abstract: We undertook a study of the mechanical transmission of parasitic organisms in cockroaches in the Samutprakarn province of Thailand. In this study, 920 cockroaches were obtained from 18 open-air shopping markets in 5 districts and 1 subdistrict of this province. All cockroaches were captured during their feeding time in their natural habitat. Direct wet smear and modified acid-fast bacilli staining were used to identify the parasites from the external surface or cuticle of the cockroaches. The results show that 498 (54.1 %) of the cockroaches harbored parasitic organisms. Of these, 56.1 % were protozoa and the remaining 43.9 % were helminthes (pathogenic helminthes- 1.4 %, non-pathogenic helminthes- 42.5 %). Of the pathogenic helminthes, the species includedStrongyloides stercoralis(6 instances of the free-living adult male, 0.8 %),Ascaris lumbricoides(2 decorticated eggs, 0.3 %),Trichuris trichiura(2, 0.3 %), andTaeniaspp.(1 egg, 0.1 %). The protozoa types that were identified includedCyclosporaspp. (10 oocysts, 1.3 %), Endolimax nana(10 cysts, 1.3 %), B. hominis(9 instances of the vacuolated form, 1.2 %), Isospora belli(75 oocysts, 9.6 %), Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar(36 cysts, 4.6 %), Cryptosporidiumspp.(220 oocysts, 28.1 %),Chilomastix mesnilli(2 cysts, 0.3 %),Entamoeba coli(31 cysts, 4.0 %),Balantidium coli(45 trophozoites, 5.8 %), andIodamoeba butschlii(1 cyst, 0.1 %). These results show that cockroaches isolated from these markets are carriers of several parasitic organisms that cause commonly found symptoms of illness such as diarrhea or bowel disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Technology, Huachiew Chalermprakiet University, Bang-plee District, Samutprakarn, Thailand.
authors.forename: Pennapa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chamavit
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Technology, Huachiew Chalermprakiet University, Bang-plee District, Samutprakarn, Thailand.
authors.forename: Panupong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sahaisook
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University, Thailand.
authors.forename: Nunthawadee
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Niamnuy
keywords: cockroaches; helminthes; mechanical transmission; parasitic organisms; protozoa