Rare and challenging; diagnosing lip myiasis in the UK
Myiasis, an infestation of human tissue by fly larvae, can occur in travellers returning from endemic regions such as Africa and the Americas. In the head and neck, myiasis can result from infected periodontal disease, wounds or tumours, affecting both children and adults. Due to its rarity in the UK and slow progression, myiasis is often diagnosed late and can easily be misdiagnosed. We present a case of a 75-year-old woman who was stung by a venomous caterpillar, Lanomia Obliqua, whilst volunteering in Brazil. She developed non-healing wounds, initially thought to be a reaction to the caterpillar's toxic spines, but was later diagnosed with myiasis. This case highlights the presentation, management, and potential diagnostic challenges associated with myiasis.
Authors
- Mehad Ahmed
- Aghiad Yassin Alsabbagh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0947-4857)
- Ian Downie (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5433-7950)
- Magdoleen G. Osman
- Victoria Mellish (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6765-651X)
Institutions
- Salisbury District Hospital (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Advances in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Published
- 2025-02-03
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adoms.2025.100525
- Primary Topic
- Forensic Entomology and Diptera Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00