title: Healthcare-associated myiasis: prevention and intervention.
abstract: Healthcare-associated myiasis (maggot infestation) can have complications that go well beyond the medical consequences of the infestation for patients, their families, and facilities. Prevention of healthcare-associated myiasis requires effort on two fronts: minimizing patient risk factors and reducing fly populations in the healthcare environment. If myiasis occurs, intervention must be swift, thorough, and interdisciplinary. The first priority always is the well-being of the patient. Preservation and identification of the maggots can help determine the likely timing and circumstances that led to the infestation. Conditions favoring the infestation must be identified and then corrected. Free and rapid communication must be promoted. A single designated knowledgeable spokesperson to communicate with the patient, employees, and, as needed, the media will reduce miscommunication and hasten mitigation. Following the guidelines presented in this document, healthcare facilities should be able to reduce the likelihood of healthcare-associated myiasis and effectively intervene when such events occur.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-4800, USA. RSherman@uci.edu
authors.forename: Ronald A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roselle
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bills
authors.forename: Linda H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Danko
authors.forename: Noel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eldridge
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D004175:Diptera / Q000502:physiology; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000592:standards*; D006796:Household Work; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D007300:Insect Control; D009198:Myiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D017592:Skin Care; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy