Cover with petroleum jelly (or Emla cream or a plaster or eye pad).
The subcutaneous developing fly larvae need oxygen through their breathing opening, which you occlude with petroleum jelly, causing them to emerge. If necessary, gently extract them with forceps.
Cordylobia anthropophaga (Africa) can often be extracted or expressed after a few minutes. Dermatobia hominis (South America) often requires more patience, sometimes applying petroleum jelly several times and waiting several hours until the larva emerges spontaneously. Both species are obligate myiasis agents.
With Dermatobia, a small episiotomy is sometimes necessary before the larva can be removed by lateral pressure.
The blue and green blowflies (Calliphora and Lucilla species) can opportunistically lay their eggs in open wounds of humans.
Treatment advice: No drug therapy
Cover with petroleum jelly (or Emla cream or a plaster or eye pad).
The subcutaneous developing fly larvae need oxygen through their breathing opening, which you occlude with petroleum jelly, causing them to emerge. If necessary, gently extract them with forceps.
Cordylobia anthropophaga (Africa) can often be extracted or expressed after a few minutes. Dermatobia hominis (South America) often requires more patience, sometimes applying petroleum jelly several times and waiting several hours until the larva emerges spontaneously. Both species are obligate myiasis agents.
With Dermatobia, a small episiotomy is sometimes necessary before the larva can be removed by lateral pressure.
The blue and green blowflies (Calliphora and Lucilla species) can opportunistically lay their eggs in open wounds of humans.
For a dead larva, surgical excision is necessary.