Skip to main content
Clinical Case Reports logoLink to Clinical Case Reports
. 2020 Feb 5;8(3):586. doi: 10.1002/ccr3.2711

Myiasis

Seerwan Qaradaghy 1, Sirwan Hadad 1,✉
PMCID: PMC7069856  PMID: 32185070

Abstract

Late presentation of breast cancer is more likely to be complicated and fatal. Local invasion, tissue destruction, skin lose, and superadded infection/infestation make surgical intervention very challenging.

Keywords: breast cancer, diabetes, maggot, Myiasis, poor hygiene


Late presentation of breast cancer is more likely to be complicated and fatal. Local invasion, tissue destruction, skin lose, and superadded infection/infestation make surgical intervention very challenging.

graphic file with name CCR3-8-586-g002.jpg


Q: What is this condition?

A: Maggot infestation of a fungating left breast carcinoma, or what is called Myiasis. This self‐neglected middle‐aged woman presented with this rare condition and died few weeks later Figure 1.1 Wound debridement and symptom control were the mainstay of treatment. Approximately 50 maggots of the Wohlfahrtia Magnifica type were removed.

Figure 1.

Figure 1

Fungating left breast carcinoma with skin necrosis, ulceration, and infestation by maggots

This parasitic larva of fly lives on the debris and necrotic tissue. Diabetes, immunosuppression, and poor hygiene,2 in a hot climate and tropical countries are the main risk factors. Management is wound debridement and disinfection along with controlling the risk factors and treating the underlying cause.

AUTHORS' CONTRIBUTIONS

Dr SQ: contributed to this work by obtaining consent, organizing clinical photography, writing, and reviewing the manuscript. Mr SH: contributed to this work by writing and reviewing the manuscript.

Qaradaghy S, Hadad S. Myiasis. Clin Case Rep. 2020;8:586 10.1002/ccr3.2711

The paper is not based on previous communication to a society or meeting

REFERENCES

  • 1. Solomon M, Lachish T, Schwartz E. Cutaneous Myiasis. Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2016;18(9):28. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 2. Bhari N, Khaitan BK, Gupta P, Kumar T, Srivastava A. Neglect leads to extremes: maggots and malignancy in a case of discoid lupus erythematosus. Lupus. 2016;25(1):97‐101. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Clinical Case Reports are provided here courtesy of Wiley

RESOURCES