This week's interesting case was donated by Race Rucki and Jason Shearer from the University of Vermont. The patient had recently returned from Belize and found this 'souvenir' in his neck. What is your diagnosis?
For sure this is a case of myasis. The coarse dark spines on the front and finer on the posterior, together with faint spiracles appear to fit Dermatobia hominis. Florida Fan
L3 larva of Dermatobia hominis. Typical are large and heavily pigmented spines that are arranged in neat rows. Also typical for L3 larvae of D. hominis is their general pyriform shape. Fun knowledge fact: Dermatobia hominis flies will not deposit their eggs directly on humans but rather on a bloodfeeding insect, which will transport it to the human host during a blood meal! Therefor this type of myiasis will usually present on "exposed skin areas". In contrast, its African counterpart (Cordylobia anthropophaga) deposits its eggs usually on clothing that is drying outside, thus resulting in myiasis of usually the "unexposed" areas of the body: scalp (putting on a contaminated T-shirt), back, legs (putting on trousers),...
For sure this is a case of myasis. The coarse dark spines on the front and finer on the posterior, together with faint spiracles appear to fit Dermatobia hominis.
ReplyDeleteFlorida Fan
How do I upload something for an ID?
ReplyDeleteSuspected Dermatobia hominis. /Patrik
ReplyDeleteL3 larva of Dermatobia hominis. Typical are large and heavily pigmented spines that are arranged in neat rows. Also typical for L3 larvae of D. hominis is their general pyriform shape.
ReplyDeleteFun knowledge fact: Dermatobia hominis flies will not deposit their eggs directly on humans but rather on a bloodfeeding insect, which will transport it to the human host during a blood meal! Therefor this type of myiasis will usually present on "exposed skin areas". In contrast, its African counterpart (Cordylobia anthropophaga) deposits its eggs usually on clothing that is drying outside, thus resulting in myiasis of usually the "unexposed" areas of the body: scalp (putting on a contaminated T-shirt), back, legs (putting on trousers),...
Also as Idzi has pointed out, the geographical location where acquired is a clue to diagnosis.
DeleteThanks for pointing it out Idzi. The location of the myasis nicely contributes to the identification of the larvae.
ReplyDeleteFlorida Fan