Myiasis

The myiasis or maggot disease is the infestation of living beings with the larvae ( maggots ) of flies, which live from the tissue, body fluids or intestinal contents of the host. It is common among people in Central and South America and in regions with tropical or subtropical climate. In veterinary medicine, a maggot infestation is also more common in Europe. This mainly affects severely weakened or otherwise affected animals that are no longer able to clean themselves.

The larvae can settle in the skin (especially in small injuries) and in the orifices, and in open wounds. Inadequate hygienic conditions favor an infestation.

Groups

Parasitic carnivores

Parasitic fly larvae move in different ways under the skin, for example through muddy puddles, at worst excrement offset mud holes ( for example in Africa or South America), the eggs of such species of fly can get to the human skin. The hatching larva then burrows into the flesh complex with which it makes contact, a. Also on dirty, hung up to dry clothes, on which the flies have laid their eggs, the latter may come into contact with the skin. A third method of contact is the use of a blood-sucking fly as a vehicle for the eggs.

The nested larva is usually close to the skin and digs a not deep, because it needs to breathe. It uses the the hole in the skin through which it has penetrated.

Opportunity carnivores

Some species of flies lay their larvae like to live in open wounds. If the future flies remain in this area, they can even be useful, as they keep the wound clean ( maggot therapy ). Other species such as the New World screw-worm fly ( Cochliomyia hominivorax ), Chrysomya bezziana, Chrysomya and Lucilia cuprina albiceps, penetrate into the uninjured area and can even buried there.

Random carnivores

These parasites enter the body by being swallowed incidentally as with contaminated food or lured by Fäkalgerüche in the anal area. This is very rare and only found in extremely poor hygiene conditions.