Head and neck myiasis: a case series and review of the literature

Abstract

Head and neck myiasis generally affects individuals with poor hygiene habits, drug users, and individuals with neurologic and psychosocial disorders. The treatment of choice is mechanical removal of larvae and surgical debridement combined with oral ivermectin. This study provides information that could help clinicians in the diagnosis and management of this condition.

Oral myiasis: Analysis of cases reported in the English literature from 1990 to 2020

“…Efforts were made to contact the authors of three studies; however, their articles could not be retrieved 17–19 . A total of 122 articles reporting 157 cases of oral myiasis were selected 2,5–14,16,20–129 …”

“…The articles were from India, 7,9,11,13,21,23,24,29,30,32–35,38, 41,45,50–52,65,66,68,70,71,73–76,82,87,91,93,99,100,105–110,113,116–118,120–122, 126,127,129 Brazil, 2,8,10,12,14,16,20,22,31,36,43,44,47–49,57–60,69,77–79,81, 84,85,90,92,95,101,102,104,112,115,123,125 Turkey, 6,28,37,42,54,61,62,124,128 Iran, 26,63,80,103,111 China, 39,40,88,96,119 Malaysia, 64,98 Colombia, 53 Israel, 5 Oman, 25 Yemen, 27 Czech Republic, 46 The Netherlands, 55 Italy, 97 USA, 56 UK, 86,89 Spain, 94 South Korea, 67 Pakistan, 72 Bangladesh, 114 and Mexico 83 (Figure 1).…”

“…The main associated factors presented by the individuals were poor hygiene (18.9%), 2,6,7,9,11–14,21,27,29,30,32,33,37,39,43, 47,49,51,52,54,57,62,66,68,73–77,81,83–85,91,96–101,104–106,109–111,114,116,120, 125–127,129 neurological disabilities (18.9%), 6,7,9,12,16,22,23,25–27, 29,30,32,34,39,40,43,45,48,50,52,53,57–59,64–66,70,73,74,78,80,85,87,90,93,95,96, 100–102,104–114,118,119,121,123,125,128,129 residence in rural or subtropical areas (8.2%), 7,24,27,32,35,36,41,47,49,52,55,56,58,62,63,65,72,74, 78,81,85,86,88,89,90,91,95,97,99,103,127,129 absence of lip sealing and/or mouth breathing (8.1%), 11,27,33,47,52,57,65,68,74,76,84–86, …”

“…Fifty (51.6%) studies 5,10,13,23,25,28,33,36,37,40,47–49,52,53,56,57,59,60, 62,65,67,73,77,81,83,87,89,100,101,108,109,111,113,114,125,126,127,129 revealed that the individual had no sequelae. Of the studies reporting sequelae in the affected individuals, the main ones were: evolution to death in the presence of other underlying diseases (21.6%), 6,13,14,22,26,31,39,41,42,79,85,88,95,102,115,123,128 tooth loss (8.2%), 11,50,64,68,70,75,106 bone defects (5.1%), 2 unsatisfactory and unsightly healing (4.1%), 20,78,86,96 maxillectomy (2.0%), 82,99 hearing loss (2.0%), 2 blindness (2.0%), 2 oroantral communication (1.0%), 2 irreversible injury to the salivary gland (1.0%), 2 and paresthesia (1.0%) 8 . In 66 reports, no information was available about sequelae.…”

“…Myiasis is an infection caused by fly larvae of the order Diptera, deposited in mammalian tissues 1 . In the head and neck, the most commonly affected regions are oral cavity, ears, eyes, nose, paranasal sinuses, lymph nodes, and mastoid region 2 . In 1840, the entomologist Frederick Hope described the occurrence of this parasitosis in the human body 3 .…”