Cutaneous Myiasis in a Child Scalp Caused by Wohlfahrtia Magnifica (Diptera: Sarcophagidae): A Case Report

Abstract

1.1 Background:Myiasis is caused by the invasion of tissues or organs of man or animals by dipterous larvae. A four-year-old girl presented with one month history of scalp ulcer that has initially started as a painful itchy swelling in the occipital region. Physical examination revealed live maggots in the ulcerous wound. The maggots were identified as the third instar larvae of Wohlfahrtia magnifica. 1.2 Case presentation:The patient presented to the emergency department with larva visualized inside the ulcer by the parents, the clinical examination has revealed a well circumscribed circular lesion in the occipital region of the scalp with a diameter of approximately 4cm, it showed some signs of inflammation with necrotic tissue and many larva's were seen inside the ulcer. The first surgical debridement was done in the second day of admission to the hospital, during this operation a large number of larvae were extracted and larval specimens were identified morphologically as larvae of Wohlfahrtia magnifica(Diptera: Sarcophagidae). 1.3 Conclusion:To our knowledge, this is the first case of furuncular myiasis caused by Wohlfahrtia magnificain a child in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Clinicians should be more alert to the possibility of myiasis in patients with furuncloid or boil-like lesions. 1.1 Background:Myiasis is caused by the invasion of tissues or organs of man or animals by dipterous larvae. A four-year-old girl presented with one month history of scalp ulcer that has initially started as a painful itchy swelling in the occipital region. Physical examination revealed live maggots in the ulcerous wound. The maggots were identified as the third instar larvae of Wohlfahrtia magnifica. 1.2 Case presentation:The patient presented to the emergency department with larva visualized inside the ulcer by the parents, the clinical examination has revealed a well circumscribed circular lesion in the occipital region of the scalp with a diameter of approximately 4cm, it showed some signs of inflammation with necrotic tissue and many larva's were seen inside the ulcer. The first surgical debridement was done in the second day of admission to the hospital, during this operation a large number of larvae were extracted and larval specimens were identified morphologically as larvae of Wohlfahrtia magnifica(Diptera: Sarcophagidae). 1.3 Conclusion:To our knowledge, this is the first case of furuncular myiasis caused by Wohlfahrtia magnificain a child in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Clinicians should be more alert to the possibility of myiasis in patients with furuncloid or boil-like lesions.