Maggot Therapy

Sherman, Ronald A.; Mumcuoglu, Kosta Y.; Grassberger, Martin; Tantawi, Tarek I.

doi:10.1007/978-94-007-6585-6_2

Cited by 29 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…Maggot therapy has been widely used for the treatment of various kinds of wounds. One of the widely used larvae for maggot therapy is Lucilia sericata [ 15 - 17 ]. The mechanisms of action of maggot therapy involve the removal of necrotic tissues and stimulation of tissue granulation by the larvae.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The leishmanicidal effect of Lucilia sericata larval saliva and hemolymph on in vitro Leishmania tropica

et al. 2021

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Background Leishmaniasis is a major parasitic disease worldwide, except in Australia and Antarctica, and it poses a significant public health problem. Due to the absence of safe and effective vaccines and drugs, researchers have begun an extensive search for new drugs. The aim of the current study was to investigate the in vitro leishmanicidal activity of larval saliva and hemolymph of Lucilia sericata on Leishmania tropica. Methods The effects of different concentrations of larval products on promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of L. tropica were investigated using the mouse cell line J774A.1 and peritoneal macrophages as host cells. The 3-(4.5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and direct observation and counting method were used to assess the inhibitory effects and cell cytotoxicity of the larval products. The effects of larval products on the amastigote form of L. tropica were quantitatively estimated by calculating the rate of macrophage infection, number of amastigotes per infected macrophage cell, parasite load and survival index. Results The 50% cytotoxicity concentration (CC50) value of both larval saliva and hemolymph was 750 µg/ml, and the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values were 134 µg/ml and 60 µg/ml for larval saliva and larval hemolymph, respectively. The IC50 for Glucantime, used a positive control, was (11.65 µg/ml). Statistically significant differences in viability percentages of promastigotes were observed for different doses of both larval saliva and hemolymph when compared with the negative control (p ≤ 0.0001). Microscopic evaluation of the amastigote forms revealed that treatment with 150 µg/ml larval hemolymph and 450 µg/ml larval saliva significantly decreased the rate of macrophage infection and the number of amastigotes per infected macrophage cell. Conclusion Larval saliva and hemolymph of L. sericata have acceptable leishmanicidal properties against L. tropica.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The leishmanicidal effect of Lucilia sericata larval saliva and hemolymph on in vitro Leishmania tropica

et al. 2021

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“…The physical mechanics of maggot debridement [ 6 , 9 ] are readily apparent to anyone who has seen the larvae under the microscope. Larvae are covered by minute spines which scrape along the wound base as the maggots crawl about, loosening debris as does a surgeon's rasper or file ( Figure 1 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several comprehensive reviews have been published over the past decade [ 4 – 6 ], and readers interested in a more detailed or historical perspective would be advised to seek out these references. This review differs from those earlier works in that it was undertaken to examine the best clinical and basic science evidence that exists today, so as to formulate a course of future research that might answer some of the clinical questions that still remain.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanisms of Maggot‐Induced Wound Healing: What Do We Know, and Where Do We Go from Here?

Sherman

2014

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

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Medicinal maggots are believed to have three major mechanisms of action on wounds, brought about chemically and through physical contact: debridement (cleaning of debris), disinfection, and hastened wound healing. Until recently, most of the evidence for these claims was anecdotal; but the past 25 years have seen an increase in the use and study of maggot therapy. Controlled clinical studies are now available, along with laboratory investigations that examine the interaction of maggot and host on a cellular and molecular level. This review was undertaken to extract the salient data, make sense, where possible, of seemingly conflicting evidence, and reexamine our paradigm for maggot-induced wound healing. Clinical and laboratory data strongly support claims of effective and efficient debridement. Clinical evidence for hastened wound healing is meager, but laboratory studies and some small, replicated clinical studies strongly suggest that maggots do promote tissue growth and wound healing, though it is likely only during and shortly after the period when they are present on the wound. The best way to evaluate—and indeed realize—maggot-induced wound healing may be to use medicinal maggots as a “maintenance debridement” modality, applying them beyond the point of gross debridement.

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“…Medicinal maggots also kill microbes in the wound bed itself 26‐28 due to the secretion of molecules like antimicrobial peptides, 29 lysozyme, 30 and deoxyribonucleases 31 . Maggot therapy may also kill microbes by inducing changes in the wound environment like pH 32 . Maggot secretions and excretions have even been shown to destroy Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm, and prevent the formation of new biofilm 31,33‐37 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical study of Maggot therapy for Fournier's gangrene

Fonseca‐Muñoz

Sarmiento‐Jiménez

Pérez‐Pacheco

et al. 2020

International Wound Journal

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Fournier's Gangrene is a fulminating necrotizing fasciitis of the perineum and genitalia. Standard treatment involves immediate excision of all necrotic tissue, aggressive antibiotic coverage, and supportive medical care. Still, the infection is commonly fatal or disfiguring. Wound treatment with disinfected blowfly larvae (maggot debridement therapy or MDT) has been shown to be highly effective, with multiple studies demonstrating effective debridement, disinfection, and promotion of granulation tissue. MDT also has been associated with preservation of viable tissue and minimised blood loss. This report describes a prospective clinical study of MDT for Fournier's gangrene aimed to test the hypothesis that early use of maggots could decrease the number of surgical treatments required to treat Fournier's gangrene. Subjects were provided with one initial surgical excision, followed by debridement using only medical grade Lucilia sericata larvae. Only two subjects were enrolled, both diabetic men. Intensive care and culture‐directed antimicrobial coverage were administered as usual. Maggot debridement was associated with the disappearance of necrotic tissue, control of infection and granulation tissue growth. In both subjects, wounds healed without requiring further surgical resection or anatomical reconstruction. Maggot therapy decreased the number of surgical procedures that otherwise would have been necessary, and led to favourable outcomes.

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Maggot Therapy

Cited by 29 publications

References 78 publications

The leishmanicidal effect of Lucilia sericata larval saliva and hemolymph on in vitro Leishmania tropica

The leishmanicidal effect of Lucilia sericata larval saliva and hemolymph on in vitro Leishmania tropica

Mechanisms of Maggot‐Induced Wound Healing: What Do We Know, and Where Do We Go from Here?

Clinical study of Maggot therapy for Fournier's gangrene

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