Cutaneous myiasis

[Dave Paprocki]

Cutaneous myiasis is a parasitic skin infestation caused by the larvae (maggots) of certain fly species.
Parasites are organisms that live on or inside another organism (the host) and depend on the host for nutrition to live. Some species of flies lay their eggs on other insects or on objects that may come into contact with people’s skin. Some flies deposit their eggs in or near a wound or sore. The eggs hatch and become larvae, which are parasites that can burrow into skin.
There are three main types of skin infestation by fly larvae:

Furuncular (pimple-like or boil-like) myiasis
Wound myiasis
Migratory myiasis

The disorders vary depending on the species of fly involved. These infestations usually occur in tropical countries. People in the United States who have myiasis usually have recently arrived from or visited a tropical country.