An infestation with a screwworm is serious and potentially life-threatening. Infections may be encountered in Asia, Africa and South America. Any infection in a tropical or temperate region should be reported to the public health authorities.
Species involved:
(1) Cochliomyia bezziana
(2) Cocheliomyia hominivorax ("man eater")
(3) Wohlfahrtia vigil
The female fly lays the eggs
(1) in any break in the skin, including insect bites.
(2) on mucous membranes
External features of the maggots:
(1) non-hairy surface
(2) pigmentation
The maggots can burrow into viable tissue including internal viscera. In an endemic area a patient may harbor thousands of maggots. Death can occur either from penetration into a vital structure or bacterial infection.
Therapy requires removal of all maggots with antibiotics if an infection develops.
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