| There are over 400 different species of mosquito | | | | symptoms such as a rash and fever. Symptoms |
| in Thailand, the ones which concern us most are | | | | of Dengue in adults include sudden fever, |
| the mosquitoes which spread mosquito borne | | | | headache, pain behind the eyes, temperature can |
| diseases like Malaria, Dengue fever, Japanese | | | | rise as high as 40° Celsius (104° F), a bumpy |
| Encephalitis, Chikungunya Fever and Filariasis. The | | | | red rash, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, diarrhea, |
| 5 main carriers of mosquito borne diseases in | | | | vomiting and flushed pink face. These symptoms |
| Thailand are the Anopheles, sometimes called the | | | | usually last between 2 and 4 days before |
| "common malaria mosquito", the Aedes aegypti | | | | subsiding for a day then the temperature rises |
| "yellow fever mosquito", the Aedes albopictus | | | | again and rashes appear. It may take a week or |
| "Asian tiger mosquito" Culex tritaeniorhynchus and | | | | more for the symptoms to disappear. Rarely |
| the Mansonia. | | | | Dengue can develop into Dengue hemorrhagic |
| The Anopheles mosquito is the carrier of Malaria in | | | | fever, symptoms include bleeding under the skin, |
| Thailand. They will feed during dusk and dawn and | | | | from the nose and gums and vomiting blood, this |
| throughout the night, feeding preferentially on | | | | condition can worsen and develop in to Dengue |
| Humans. They prefer still water such as lakes, | | | | shock syndrome which is a life threatening |
| ponds and swamps to lay their eggs, which are | | | | condition. |
| layed directly on the water surface. They can be | | | | Japanese encephalitis symptoms may appear 5 - |
| identified by the black and white scales on their | | | | 15 days after being bitten by a mosquito. In most |
| wings and 2 palps as long as the proboscis which | | | | cases symptoms will only be flu like, only about 1 |
| look like antennae either side of the proboscis. | | | | in 300 cases develop in to acute encephalitis which |
| They rest with their body at at 45 degrees to | | | | affects the central nervous system and the brain. |
| the surface, abdomen pointing upwards. | | | | Symptoms include fever, nausea, vomiting, stiff |
| The Aedes aegypti is the principal transmitter of | | | | neck, weakness, convulsions, seizures, muscle |
| Dengue fever in Thailand but it also transmits | | | | paralysis loss of balance, reduced coordination and |
| Chikungunya fever, yellow fever and Filariasis | | | | loss of consciousness. The death rate among |
| among other diseases. The Aedes aegypti prefers | | | | sufferers of acute encephalitis is about 30%, |
| feed during daylight hours. They adapt very easily | | | | patients who recover are often left with |
| to Human surroundings and will lay their eggs | | | | disabilities. |
| anywhere there is water, including plastic | | | | Filariasis symptoms may appear 5 months to |
| containers, bins, plant pots etc. The eggs are laid | | | | over a year after being bitten by an infected |
| close to the water and can survive long periods, | | | | mosquito, though symptoms may not show |
| up to a year without water. It is dark and quite | | | | unless a person is repeatedly bitten by an infected |
| small in appearance with white spots on the body | | | | mosquito. Filariasis is caused by parasitic worms |
| and white rings around its legs, there is a lyre | | | | which are transmitted by infected mosquitoes. |
| shape, could also be described a 'u' or 2 pronged | | | | Symptoms include swollen or inflamed lymph |
| fork on its thorax. It will rest and feed with its | | | | nodes, headache, stomach pain, fever and chills, |
| body parallel to the surface, it is also a fast flier, | | | | more severe symptoms are the swelling of |
| very quiet and one of the hardest to catch. | | | | organs and limbs. |
| The Aedes albopictus 'Asian Tiger mosquito' is a | | | | This page only gives a brief description of |
| transmitter of Dengue fever, Chikungunya fever, | | | | mosquito borne diseases in Thailand and is not |
| Filariasis and other Mosquito borne diseases in | | | | intended for use as self diagnosis. For more |
| Thailand. Like the Aedes aegypti the Tiger | | | | detailed and specific information use one of the |
| mosquito will lay its eggs close to any standing | | | | many medical websites such as or consult a |
| water in bins, pots, tires etc and the eggs can | | | | Doctor. |
| survive a long period without water, which is one | | | | Mosquito facts and trivia. |
| reason why mosquitoes are abundant during the | | | | - There are an estimated 3,500 species of |
| rainy season in Thailand. Again there are daytime | | | | mosquito in the World. |
| feeders and feed very aggressively. They can be | | | | - Over 400 species of mosquito can be found in |
| identified by the solid white stripe on to of the | | | | Thailand. |
| thorax and white spots on their legs, they are | | | | - Mosquitoes are responsible for more worldwide |
| also very persistent in pursuit of a meal. They | | | | Human deaths than any other living thing. |
| rest and feed with their body parallel to the | | | | - Around 400 million people are infected with |
| surface. | | | | malaria every year, of which between 1 - 3 million |
| The Culex tritaeniorhynchus is the mosquito | | | | die. |
| responsible for transmitting Japanese Encephalitis | | | | - A mosquito synchronizes its own noise pitch to |
| in Thailand. They are most at home in rural areas | | | | match the pitch of its potential mate. |
| such as paddy fields, they lay their eggs in rafts | | | | - The largest mosquito in the World is the |
| on the surface of the water. Usually night time | | | | 'Toxorhynchites' measuring 1.5 inches, fortunately |
| feeders they prefer to feed on animals such as | | | | they do not require blood. |
| pigs and cattle, even birds in preference to | | | | - Mosquitoes supposedly can not spread AIDS, |
| Humans, but they will readily feed on Humans | | | | research suggests the virus is killed by their |
| when they have to. They are a dull brown colour | | | | digestive system. |
| with a blunt abdomen, they rest and feed with | | | | - A mosquito can smell you from as far as 30 |
| their body parallel to the surface.> | | | | meters away. |
| The Mansonia mosquito is thought to be the main | | | | - Only females bite and feed on blood. |
| carrier of Filariasis after an outbreak in Southern | | | | - A chemical receptor tells the mosquito when to |
| Thailand during 2010. Mansonia usually feed at night | | | | stop feeding, during tests scientists disabled the |
| and prefer marshy and heavily vegetated areas, | | | | receptor and the mosquito fed until it burst. |
| they lay their eggs in rafts attached to | | | | - A mosquitoes life consists of 4 metamorphic |
| vegetation. They are a medium sized mosquito | | | | stages: egg, larva, pupa, adult. |
| and a light dusty appearance, they rest and feed | | | | - The average lifespan of a female mosquito is 2 |
| with body parallel to surface. | | | | - 3 weeks. |
| | | | | - Mosquitoes home in on the carbon dioxide and |
| Common mosquito borne diseases in Thailand | | | | heat emitted from our bodies. |
| The symptoms of Chikungunya fever usually | | | | - Female as well as male mosquitoes eat nectar. |
| appear 3–7 days after being bitten by an | | | | - Female mosquitoes feed on blood because they |
| infected mosquito, the symptoms are a sudden | | | | need the protein for their offspring. |
| fever, severe joint pain, tiredness, rash, headache, | | | | - A mosquito can lay as many as 3000 eggs in its |
| nausea, chills and muscle pains. The fever may | | | | lifetime. |
| last for 2 days but other symptoms may persist. | | | | - Some mosquitoes given the right conditions can |
| Many of the symptoms are the same as Dengue | | | | develop from egg to adulthood in 4 days. |
| fever. | | | | - A mosquito can beat its wings up to 600 times |
| Malaria is a potentially life threatening disease, the | | | | per minute. |
| symptoms can show 7 - 15 days after being | | | | - A mosquito can fly at an average of 1.5 miles |
| bitten by a mosquito. Symptoms include fever, | | | | per hour. |
| headache, nausea, diarrhea, chills, vomiting, aching | | | | Fortunately the risk to the average person of |
| muscles and vomiting, jaundice type yellowing of | | | | catching a mosquito borne disease in Thailand is |
| the skin and eyes. The symptoms usually run in | | | | relatively small and the mosquito is more of a |
| cycles every 1, 2 or 3 days. | | | | nuisance factor in that mosquito bites cause an |
| Dengue fever symptoms may appear between 3 | | | | allergic reaction or become extremely itchy, hence |
| and 15 days, but more usually within 8 days after | | | | we are always looking for remedies to stop |
| being bitten by a mosquito. Young children might | | | | mosquito bites itching. |
| not show symptoms or only suffer from minor | | | | |