In vitro evaluation of the association of medicinal larvae (Insecta, Diptera, Calliphoridae) and topical agents conventionally used for the treatment of wounds

Debridement efficacy of serine protease and formulated cream by In Vitro assessment against artificial wound eschar

Chronic wounds typically comprise of necrotic tissue and dried secretions, often culminating in the formation of a thick and tough layer of dead skin known as eschar. Removal of eschar is imperative to facilitate wound healing. Conventional approach for eschar removal involves surgical excision and grafting, which can be traumatic and frequently leads to viable tissue damage. There has been growing interest in the use of enzymatic agents for a gentler approach to debridement, utilizing proteolytic enzymes. In this study, a purified intracellular recombinant serine protease from Bacillus sp. (SPB) and its cream formulation were employed to evaluate their ability to degrade artificial wound eschar; composed of collagen, fibrin, and elastin. Degradation was assessed based on percentage weight reduction of eschar biomass, analysis via sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both SPB and its cream formulation were able to degrade up to 50 % artificial wound eschar, with the SPB cream maintaining its degradation efficiency for up to 24 hours. Additionally, the SPB-based cream demonstrated the ability to hydrolyze proteinaceous components of eschars individually (fibrin and collagen) as determined through qualitative assessment. These findings suggest that SPB holds promise for the debridement of wound eschar.

How Rearing Systems for Various Species of Flies Benefit Humanity

Flies (Diptera) have played a prominent role in human history, and several fly species are reared at different scales and for different beneficial purposes worldwide. Here, we review the historical importance of fly rearing as a foundation for insect rearing science and technology and synthesize information on the uses and rearing diets of more than 50 fly species in the families Asilidae, Calliphoridae, Coelopidae, Drosophilidae, Ephydridae, Muscidae, Sarcophagidae, Stratiomyidae, Syrphidae, Tachinidae, Tephritidae, and Tipulidae. We report more than 10 uses and applications of reared flies to the well-being and progress of humanity. We focus on the fields of animal feed and human food products, pest control and pollination services, medical wound therapy treatments, criminal investigations, and on the development of several branches of biology using flies as model organisms. We highlight the relevance of laboratory-reared Drosophila melanogaster Meigen as a vehicle of great scientific discoveries that have shaped our understanding of many biological systems, including the genetic basis of heredity and of terrible diseases such as cancer. We point out key areas of fly-rearing research such as nutrition, physiology, anatomy/morphology, genetics, genetic pest management, cryopreservation, and ecology. We conclude that fly rearing is an activity with great benefits for human well-being and should be promoted for future advancement in diverse and innovative methods of improving existing and emerging problems to humanity.

Larval therapy from the patient’s perspective

Objective: to describe the perception of the patient undergoing larval therapy. Method: qualitative, exploratory-descriptive study, using oral history as a data collection technique and methodological framework, in the form of oral life history. Six patients with difficult-to-heal wounds participated in the study, followed by the dressing committee of a teaching hospital in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, undergoing larval therapy. Results: the testimonies of the patients/collaborators point to various values, such as belief, fear, acceptance, improvement of the wound and pain. They revealed that there is no major objection and that clarification regarding the treatment instituted proved to be important in the acceptance decision. Conclusion: the feelings expressed by the patients, such as improvement of the wound, reduction of pain and odor, optimization of the healing process, emergence of sparks of hope regarding the return to their life, among others, translate the benefits of Larval Therapy (LT). Despite the seizure caused by the animal’s movement over the affected area and the disgust it causes to some professionals and people, LT was considered wonderful, especially for its effectiveness in cleaning the wound without the need for new invasive procedures such as cutting and surgical debridement.

Terapia larval sob a ótica do paciente

Objetivo: descrever a percepção do paciente submetido à terapia larval. Método: estudo qualitativo, exploratório-descritivo, tendo como técnica de coleta de dados e referencial metodológico a historia oral, na modalidade da história oral de vida. Participaram do estudo seis pacientes com feridas de difícil cicatrização, acompanhados pela comissão de curativos de um hospital escola em Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, submetidos à terapia larval. Resultados: os depoimentos dos pacientes/colaboradores apontam diversos valores, como crença, medo, aceitação, melhora da ferida e da dor. Revelaram que não há grande objeção e que o esclarecimento em relação ao tratamento instituído mostrou-se importante na decisão de aceitação. Conclusão: os sentimentos expressos pelos pacientes, como melhora da ferida, diminuição da dor e odor, otimização do processo de cicatrização, surgimento de centelhas de esperança quanto ao retorno à sua vida, dentre outros traduzem os benefícios da Terapia Larval (TL). Apesar do fervilhamento provocado pelo movimento do animal sobre a área acometida e da repulsa que causa a alguns profissionais e pessoas, a TL foi considerada maravilhosa, especialmente por sua eficácia na limpeza da ferida sem a necessidade de novos procedimentos invasivos como desbridamento cortante e cirúrgico.