Dermatobia hominis
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Human Bot Fly
Adult female human bot fly
Adult female human bot fly
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Infraclass: Neoptera
Superorder: Endopterygota
Order: Diptera
Suborder: Brachycera
Infraorder: Muscomorpha
Section: Schizophora
Subsection: Calyptratae
Superfamily: Oestroidea
Family: Oestridae
Subfamily: Cuterebrinae
Genus: Dermatobia
Species: D. hominis
Binomial name
Dermatobia hominis
(Linnaeus Jr in Pallas, 1781)
Synonyms

Oestrus hominisLinnaeus Jr in Pallas, 1781
Extracted human bot fly larva. The arrow points to the larva's mouthparts.
Extracted human bot fly larva. The arrow points to the larva's mouthparts.

The genus Dermatobia contains only one species, D. hominis, the only species of bot fly that attacks humans (in addition to a wide range of other animals, including other primates[1]). It is also known as the torsalo or American warble fly,[1] even though the Warble fly is in the genus Hypoderma and not Dermatobia and is a parasite on cattle and deer instead of humans. Dermatobia fly eggs are vectored by mosquitoes and muscoid flies; the female captures the mosquito and attaches its eggs to the body of it, then releases it. Either the eggs hatch while the mosquito is feeding and the larvae use the mosquito bite area as the entry point, or the eggs simply drop off the muscoid fly when it lands on the skin. The larvae develop inside the subcutaneous layers, and after approximately eight weeks, they drop out to pupate for at least a week, typically in the soil. The adults are small gray flies resembling a blowfly.

This species is native to Mexico and Central America, though it is not abundant enough (nor harmful enough) to ever attain true pest status. Since the fly larvae can only survive the entire eight-week development if the wound does not become infected, it is rare for patients to experience infections unless they kill the larva without removing it completely (below). It is even possible that the fly larva may itself produce antibiotic secretions that help prevent infection while it is feeding.

Contents

Remedies

The bot fly maggot cannot be removed easily while alive due to the strong, hooked spines that run in circular rings around the midsection of its body. However, various solutions have been suggested:

  • Recently, physicians have discovered that venom extractor syringes can remove larvae with ease at any stage of growth. As these devices are a common component of first-aid kits to deal with snakebites, this is an effective and easily accessible solution.[2]
  • A larva has been successfully removed by first applying several coats of nail polish to the area of the larva's entrance, weakening it by partial asphyxiation.[3]
  • Covering the location with duct tape would also result partial asphixiation and weakening of the larva, but is not recommended because the larva's breathing tube is fragile and would be broken during the removal of the duct tape, leaving most of the larva behind.[3]
  • Some people have reported success simply by careful application of pressure, but this approach runs a very high risk of killing the larva in situ, leading to infection. One medical treatment is to suffocate the grub by sealing off the air hole found in the surrounding blister. This can be done with petroleum jelly or a similar substance. This forces the grub to expose itself temporarily (to clear the spiracles), making it easier to remove, though it is still risky if the larva does not come completely out of the wound and therefore is not a simple matter to perform without killing the larva and causing infection. Most commonly, people will snap off the tail of the larva, leaving the portion with the hooks still embedded.citation needed
  • A similar "cure" (which is really more of a folk remedy) is to put meat over the affected area while the flies are in their larval stage, thereby cutting off the parasites' air supply. The grubs should then burrow through the meat to gain access to oxygen, at which point the meat may be removed with the larvae trapped inside. It is unclear, however, whether this is generally effective, and controlled experiments have not been done to determine precisely which "home-grown" method of extraction is safest, most effective, or easiest. Surgical removal is an option, of course, but could be costly for those without access to affordable health care.citation needed
  • In general, then, simply allowing the larva to develop and leave the body on its own is the safest and least risky course of action, though few people are willing to wait that long, especially if the larva is lodged in an uncomfortable or unsightly location. The degree of discomfort experienced does seem to be entirely dependent on where the larva is located, related to how sensitive the surrounding tissue is.citation needed

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Human Bot Fly Myiasis". U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine (August 2007). Retrieved on 2008-10-09.
  2. ^ Boggild, Andrea K.; Jay S. Keystone and Kevin C. Kain (August 2002). "Furuncular myiasis: a simple and rapid method for extraction of intact Dermatobia hominis larvae". Clinical Infectious Diseases 35 (3): 336–338. doi:10.1086/341493. PMID 12115102. Retrieved on 2008-10-09. 
  3. ^ a b Bhandari, Ramanath; David P. Janos and Photini Sinnis (March 2007). "Furuncular myiasis caused by Dermatobia hominis in a returning traveler". The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 76 (3): 598–9. PMID 17360891. PMC:1853312. Retrieved on 2008-10-09. 

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