Cutaneous myiasis.
Cutaneous myiasis is a unique disease, endemic in tropical areas, and uncommon in the Western world, making its diagnosis difficult for physicians that are unfamiliar with the disease process. Larvae of a two-winged fly are inoculated through normal skin by a mosquito bite. The larvae grow in the subcutaneous tissues, feed off the surrounding tissues and develop into a fly. A patient with a seemingly commonplace cutaneous lesion which was a harbinger of a much more sinister, unique disease process, is presented. Salient features that characterise these lesions, the difficulty in accurate (and timely) diagnosis, treatment and a review of the literature are discussed with the aim of overcoming limitations of diagnosis and management.
Krajewski
Aleksandra
A
Division of Plastic Surgery and Center for Immunotherapy, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030-1601, USA.
Allen
Brian
B
Hoss
Diane
D
Patel
Chirag
C
Chandawarkar
Rajiv Y
RY
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009198:Myiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D012535:Scalp; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*