Human myiasis in Ecuador

Abstract

We review epidemiological and clinical data on human myiasis from Ecuador, based on data from the Ministry of Public Health (MPH) and a review of the available literature for clinical cases. The larvae of four flies, Dermatobia hominis, Cochliomyia hominivorax, Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis, and Lucilia eximia, were identified as the causative agents in 39 reported clinical cases. The obligate D. hominis, causing furuncular lesions, caused 17 (43.5%) cases distributed along the tropical Pacific coast and the Amazon regions. The facultative C. hominivorax was identified in 15 (38%) clinical cases, infesting wound and cavitary lesions including orbital, nasal, aural and vaginal, and occurred in both subtropical and Andean regions. C. hominivorax was also identified in a nosocomial hospital-acquired wound. Single infestations were reported for S. haemorrhoidalis and L. eximia. Of the 39 clinical cases, 8 (21%) occurred in tourists. Ivermectin, when it became available, was used to treat furuncular, wound, and cavitary lesions successfully. MPH data for 2013-2015 registered 2,187 cases of which 54% were reported in men; 46% occurred in the tropical Pacific coast, 30% in the temperate Andes, 24% in the tropical Amazon, and 0.2% in the Galapagos Islands. The highest annual incidence was reported in the Amazon (23 cases/100,000 population), followed by Coast (5.

Nasal myiasis in myasthenic crisis, a case report and literature review

“…Predisposing factors to developing nasal myiasis include atrophic rhinitis, malignancy, blood, or necrotic tissue on which the maggots feed after a fly lays eggs near the nasal region [ 4 , 5 ]. Fortunately, our patient did not have malignancy or necrotic tissue, rather, due to anticoagulation, excessive bleeding from nasogastric tube placement resulted in a large blood clot on which the maggots fed.…”

“…In previous case reports, mechanical removal of larvae has been consistently described, but medical treatments have varied between cases. In addition to lidocaine nasal spray, other effective medications include, ivermectin, local chloroform [ 5 ], or pyrantel pamoate [ 8 ]. In this case, treatment options are limited to topical lidocaine, as other agents are known to worsen myasthenia gravis.…”

Cutaneous Myiasis Caused by <b><i>Chrysomya megacephala</i></b> in an Infant with Psoriasis Vulgaris

“…Treatment of cutaneous myiasis include occlusion, manual removal of the larvae and larvicides [ 2 , 3 , 10 ]. In the pediatric population, there is no specific standard guideline treatment [ 11 ].…”

“…Cutaneous myiasis can be subdivided into two main clinical subtypes, furuncular and wound myiasis [ 2 ]. Most of the cases are reported in adults and rarely in children [ 3 ]. A similar case was reported in which the larva penetrated the brain of a 5-month-old infant resulting in the demise of the patient [ 4 ].…”

A novel method extracting cutaneous myiasis

“…Because of the host´s body temperature, the larvae hatch from the eggs and find their way into the skin through minimal injuries or pores. 3,4 Alternatively, the fly lays the eggs directly in cutaneous wounds.…”