Myiasis caused by Dermatobia Hominis: case report
Abstract
Background: myiasis is any condition caused by larval stages of different types of diptera, which attack tissues and organs of vertebrate animals. The diptera Dermatobia hominis is located geographically in the territories corresponding to South America, Central America and Mexico. In the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and Africa, the reports given do not show data of local origin, rather it is known through the anamnesis the trip by the affected individuals to the mentioned areas.
Objective: to report the case of a patient diagnosed with myiasis caused by Dermatobia hominis, describing the clinical, therapeutic and evolution of the case.
Case report: male patient, foreigner, coming from the city of London, who reveals pain located in the lower back and lower left limb with local volume increase. Physical examination revealed presence of furunculoid lesion. Emollient solution in lesions is prescribed and the larvae of Diptera are surgically removed.
Conclusions: myiasis is an entity that must be known by the doctor who works in areas where the presence of diptera is high. The knowledge of risk areas is fundamental in the treatment of patients traveling to endemic areas.
DeCS: MYIASIS/surgery; MYIASIS/diagnosis; MYIASIS/epidemiology; MYIASIS/therapy; Case Reports.
Downloads
References
1. Mengarelli RH, Cevallos MV. Manejo de las miasis en heridas agudas y crónicas: Presentación de casos y revisión de la bibliografía. Rev argent dermatol [Internet]. Sep 2012 [citado 07 Mar 2020];93(3). Disponible en: http://www.scielo.org.ar/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1851-300X2012000300004&lng=es
2. Paes MJ, Brito LG, Moya Borja GE, Daemon E. Comportamento reprodutivo e longevidade de casais isolados e agrupados de lucilia cuprina, sob condições controladas. Rev Brasileira Parasitol Vet [Internet]. 2005 [citado 07 Mar 2020];14(1):21-25. Disponible en: https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=397841453005
3. Bedotti D, Gómez AG, García Martínez A, Sánchez Rodríguez M, Perea Muñoz J, Rodríguez Estévez V. Estructura productiva de las explotaciones caprinas del oeste pampeano (Argentina). Arch Zoot [Internet]. 2007 [citado 07 Mar 2020];56:[aprox. 5 p.]. Disponible en: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=49556015
4. López González G, Pérez Assef JJ, Armenteros Castañeda J, Posada Fernández P, Castellanos Vivancos L. Miasis cutánea. Primer reporte médico en la provincia Manica, República de Mozambique. MediCiego [Internet]. 2016 [citado 07 Mar 2020];22(4):[aprox. 5 p.]. Disponible en: http://www.revmediciego.sld.cu/index.php/mediciego/article/view/106
5. Bolívar A, Mora W. Miasis cutánea furuncular por Dermatobia hominis en Mérida, Venezuela: Reporte de caso. Bol Mal Salud Amb [Internet]. Jul 2015 [citado 07 Mar 2020];55(1):105-108. Disponible en: http://www.scielo.org.ve/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1690-46482015000100008&lng=es
6. Herrero J, Barry F. US in Grey Scale and Color Doppler for the diagnosis of Cutaneous Myasis. Ultras Med Biol. 1997;23(1):S145-S145.
7. Hope F. On insects and their larvae occasionally found in the human body. Trans R Entomol Soc Lond. 1840;2:256-271.
8. James M. The flies that cause myiasis in man. Washington: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture; 1947.
9. Zumpt F. Myiasis in man and animals in the Old World. A textbook for physicians, veterinarians and zoologists. London: Butterworths; 1965.
10. Zúñiga I. Miasis: un problema de salud poco estudiado en México. Rev Enfer Infec Pediatr. 2009;22(88):121-125.
11. Pastor C, Briceño G, Schafer F. Miasis cutánea forunculosa causada por Dermatobia hominis. Rev méd Chile [Internet]. 2013 [citado 07 Mar 2020];141(8):1081-1082. Disponible en: https://scielo.conicyt.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-98872013000800018&lng=es
12. Vaquero M, Azcue M. Miasis Dermatobia hominis adquirida durante un viaje a Argentina. Med Clinica (Barcelona). 2008;131(9):359-359.
13. Dueñas O, Gámez D, González Q. Miasis cutánea en un anciano de una comunidad rural ecuatoriana. MEDISAN [Internet]. May 2017 [citado 07 Mar 2020];21(5):590-594. Disponible en: http://scielo.sld.cu/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1029-30192017000500012&lng=es
14. Hu JM, Wang CC, Chao LL, Lee CS, Shih CM. First report of furuncular myiasis caused by the larva of botfly, Dermatobia hominis, in a Taiwanese traveler. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2013;3(3):229-31.
15. Gaci R, Delord M, Parola P, Brouqui P, Lagier J. Extended Perineal Dermatobia hominis Myiasis in a Traveler Returning From South America. JAMA Dermatol. 2015;151(12):1389–1390.
16. Zeledón R. Algunas observaciones sobre la biología de la Dermatobia hominis (L.Jr.) y el problema del tórsalo en Costa Rica. Rev Biol Trop. 1957;5(1):63-75.
17. Geurgas S, Infante M, Azeredo A. Extreme mitochondrial DNA variability and lack of genetic structure in populations of Dermatobia hominis (Diptera: Cuterebridae) from Brazil. Ann Entomol. 2000; 93(5):1085-1094.
18. Zammarchi L, Viligiardi R, Strohmeyer M, Bartoloni A. Dermatobia hominis: small migrants hidden in your skin. Ann dermatol. 2014;26(5): 632-635.
19. Alsaif N, Liao S, Tse D. External ophthalmomyiasis due to Dermatobia hominis masquerading as orbital cellulitis. Ophthal plast reconst surg. 2016;32(5):113-116.
20. Fonseca P, Sabino-Bezerra J, Vargas P, Almeida O, Lopes M, Santos-Silva A. Furuncular Myiasis Affecting the Lower Lip of a Young Patient. Braz Dent J [Internet]. 2016 [citado 07 Mar 2020];27(5):625-628. Disponible en: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-64402016000500625&lng=en
21. Meurer M, Grando L, Rivero E, Souza C, Marcondes C. A Rare Case of Labial Myiasis caused by dermatobia hominis. J contemp dental practice. 2016;17(11): 958-961.
22. Villalobos G, Vega‐Memije M, Maravilla P, Martinez‐Hernandez F. Myiasis caused by Dermatobia hominis: countries with increased risk for travelers going to neotropic areas. Int j dermatol. 2016;55(10):1060-1068.
23. Quintanilla Cedillo MR, León Ureña H, Contreras‐Ruiz J, Arenas R. The value of Doppler ultrasound in diagnosis in 25 cases of furunculoid myiasis. Int j dermatol. 2005;44(1):34-37.
24. Richter J, Schmitt M, Müller Stöver I, Göbels K, Häussinger D. Sonographic detection of subcutaneous fly larvae in human myiasis. J clin ultrasound. 2008;36(3):169-173.
25. Bouer M, Rodríguez-Bandera AI, Albizuri-Prado F, Lobos A, Gubeling W, Wortsman X. Real-time high-frequency colour Doppler ultrasound detection of cutaneous Dermatobia hominis myiasis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2016;30:e180–e181.
26. Marcondes CB. Dermatobia hominis (Diptera: Cuterebridae) in Africa and the need for caution in its taxonomy. J infection public health. 2014;7(1):73-74.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright: Camagüey Medical Archive Magazine, offers immediately after being indexed in the SciELO Project; Open access to the full text of the articles under the principle of making available and free the research to promote the exchange of global knowledge and contribute to a greater extension, publication, evaluation and extensive use of the articles that can be used without purpose As long as reference is made to the primary source.
Conflicts of interest: authors must declare in a mandatory manner the presence or not of conflicts of interest in relation to the investigation presented.
(Download Statement of potential conflicts of interest)
The Revista Archivo Médico de Camagüey is under a License Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
This license allows others to distribute, to mix, to adjust and to build from its work, even for commercial purposes, as long as it is recognized the authorship of the original creation. This is the most helpful license offered. Recommended for maximum dissemination and use of licensed materials. The full license can be found at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/
22 julio 2025