Evaluation of myiasis in hospital attending population in a tertiary care hospital in Jalgoan

Abstract

Background: Human myiasis can present as aural myiasis, nasal myiasis, ocular, urogenital etc. Aural myiasis can lead to perforation of tympanic membrane, hearing loss, haemorrrhage and rarely the larva migrates into the meninges. Inflammatory reaction at the site if larviposition due to mast cell activation and IgE production may limit larval development. Flies are generally attractive to odour of decaying necrotic tissue, which can arise from chronic otorrhea or sinusitis.

Methods: The study was conducted at Dr. Ulhas Patil Medical College in the department of ENT from January 2017 to January 2019. On examination patients were irritable and blood stained ear discharge was noted in aural cases, while similar discharge from the nose in nasal cases.  

Results: Over the 2 year study period a total of 200 cases of myiasis were seen. The youngest child seen was 11months and the oldest 70 years of age. Females (57.89%) were affected more commonly than males (41.48%). Most cases (96.8%) were from a rural background. Aural myiasis occurred from May to December. The peak incidence for both was seen from September to October.

Conclusions: Myiasis is a rare and benign manifestation with zero mortality rate. Meanwhile as it has been hypothesized in otolaryngology that intracerebral myiasis can be caused by the transcanal migration and invasion of fly larvae, there was no association between aural myiasisis and intracerebral pathology of any kind observed in the study. The overwhelming majority of cases can be successfully managed without the need for surgical intervention.