Human Cutaneous Myiasis by the Australian Sheep Blowfly, Lucilia cuprina (Diptera: Calliphoridae), in Oklahoma

Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae): A potentially forgotten forensically important species in Malaysia

Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) has been collected in human forensic case work. This species is endemic in Malaysia but is not one of the most common species and is often found in outdoor cases. However, it is hypothesized that the presence of L. cuprina larvae may provide useful information in forensic case studies in Malaysia where this species has previously been ignored. This review will discuss the current background knowledge on L. cuprina, particularly when it comes to other forensic cases in Malaysia. General biology as well as key information for forensic work such as geographical distribution and developmental data will be reviewed. Finally, we discuss the potential for L. cuprina to provide beneficial and unique forensic insight into indoor cases with refuse.

Review on forensic importance of myiasis: Focus on medicolegal issues on post-mortem interval estimation and neglect evaluation

Myiasis is the infestation of live vertebrates by dipterous larvae that feed on living or necrotic tissues, liquid body substances or ingested food and develop in or on the vertebrate body. In both animals and humans, myiasis plays a fundamental role in forensic practice because of its implications in the evaluation of cases of neglect and in the mPMI (minimum post-mortem interval) estimation. The present study aims to provide a review of forensic issues related to myiasis. A retrospective analysis was conducted by exploring major electronic literature databases. Methodological evaluation of each study was performed according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses) standards. Sixty-one papers were included in this review. Entomology shows great potentiality in forensic investigations, mostly because of its contributory role in mPMI estimation. Such evaluation, however, requires a careful consideration of the possibility of an ante-mortem myiasis infestation, which could complicate the correct assessment of the mPMI. Hence, forensic pathologists should pay attention to the entomological fauna on a corpse, in both fresh and decomposed bodies. Moreover, in cases with poor nutritional or hygienic conditions, myiasis should be carefully evaluated as an indicator of neglect.

Assemblages of Necrophagous Blow Flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in Four Contrasting Ecoregions of Los Angeles County, California, United States

An ecological study to evaluate necrophagous species richness, abundance, and diversity was conducted in four contrasting ecoregions of Los Angeles County, California, United States: a highly anthropized area, two moderately populated areas, and a sparsely populated area. Our hypothesis states that there will be higher abundance of exotic species in greatly anthropized ecoregions and higher diversity of native calliphorid flies in sparsely populated sites. A total of 2,883 blow flies belonging to 12 species were captured from the four ecoregions. The exotic Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) was the most abundant species, representing 72.84% of all Calliphoridae collected. The highest abundance was in the highly anthropized ecoregion. Differences of the blow fly assemblages across environmentally and anthropically different ecoregions were found, and that the relative abundance of the exotic species increased with anthropization. Our results suggest that both anthropization and elevation alter the structure of blow fly assemblages, modifying the abundance and species richness of Calliphoridae. The results of this study support the hypothesis of biotic homogenization, since we found a higher proportional abundance of exotic species and lower diversity of native blow flies in ecoregions heavily modified by human action. Additionally, the hypothesis of intermediate disturbance was supported as the highest diversity was found in the ecoregion with moderate anthropization mixed with natural elements. This is the first study to conduct an intensive survey of the Calliphoridae assemblages in Los Angeles County, which can be potentially used as a tool in human and veterinary health and forensic sciences.

Nanobiopesticides: development and inseticidal activity of nanoemulsions containing lemongrass or eucalyptus oils

The bioinsecticides, like essential oils, are a promising alternative in pest control. However, these oils have some limitations, such as instability and low solubility. These limitations can be circumvented through nanotechnology, with the nanoemulsification of these compounds. Therefore, the objective of this study was to prepare, characterize and explore the insecticidal activity against adult flies of nanoemulsions containing essential oil of lemongrass or eucalyptus. The nanoemulsions were prepared by the high-energy method and presented droplet size smaller than 125 nm, with polydispersity index of 0.2, pH acid and spherical morphology. The insecticidal activity was evaluated by the Topical Application Method and Exposure Impregnated Paper Exposure, where it was possible to demonstrate a potential insecticidal effect of lemongrass oil in the concentrations of 10, 30 and 50 µL/mL against Musca domestica and Lucilia cuprina and the potentiation of this effect when nanoemulsified this oil against L. cuprina.

Prevalence of tracheopulmonary myiasis amidst humans

Myiasis is a parasitic infestation of live vertebrates with the dipteran larvae that grow within the host while feeding on its living or dead tissue. Human myiasis is prevalent among individuals in close association of domestic animals and those inhabiting the unhygienic conditions. Open neglected suppurative wounds are the favourable sites that attract and stimulate the gravid female flies for oviposition. However, the poor personal hygiene, ignorance and the mental illness further add to it. Tracheopulmonary myiasis involves the infestation of foul smelling nasal and oral orifices or neglected wounds like tracheostomal incisions with the parasitic dipteran larvae which may extend up to the trachea, bronchi and lungs leading to serious health complications. Despite the incidence of human tracheopulmonary infestation is rare, the severe medical impediments and heterogeneous worldwide distribution signify the medical importance of this condition. The present manuscript reviews and summarizes the worldwide reported cases of human tracheopulmonary myiasis and the predisposing risk factors for onset of the same, as future reference for parasitologists and medical professionals.

Intratracheal myiasis followed by tracheal-esophageal fistula: report of a rare case and literature review

BACKGROUND

To enhance awareness of the clinical features and prevention of endotracheal myiasis.

CASE PRESENTATION

A case of intratracheal myiasis is reported. A 61-year-old male patient with a history of laryngectomy was admitted to hospital due to tracheostomal hemorrhage of 3 h duration. Intratracheal myiasis was confirmed by bronchoscopy, and the patient underwent bronchoscopic intervention, which was complicated by a tracheal-esophageal fistula and resolved by endotracheal stenting. Twenty months after stent placement, the fistula had not healed.

CONCLUSION

Intratracheal myiasis has serious complications and is difficult to treat. For post-tracheostomy patients, healthcare providers and caregivers should pay attention to the care and monitoring of wounds and maintenance of a tidy, clean living environment to prevent intratracheal myiasis.

Treatment of nasal myiasis with ivermectin irrigation

We describe a case of nasal myiasis due to Musca domestica in a 97-year-old Peruvian farmer with a previously undiagnosed mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. Initial attempts to remove the fly larvae using manual extraction with a toothed forceps and normal saline irrigation were unsuccessful. On subsequent nasal irrigation with ivermectin solution, the patient self-expulsed approximately 50 larvae within 15 min. He also received a course of oral ivermectin. A post-treatment CT scan revealed clear sinuses. Here, we propose that ivermectin irrigation is a simple and effective treatment for nasal myiasis.

Temperature and Tissue Type Impact Development of Lucilia cuprina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in Sri Lanka

Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann; Diptera: Calliphoridae) is a facultative ecto-parasitic fly, distributed throughout the temperate and subtropical regions of the world. This blow fly species is of medical, veterinary, and forensic importance due to it being used in maggot debridement therapy (MDT), a causative agent of myiasis, and a decomposer of vertebrate carrion. The current study examined the combined effects of temperature and tissue type on the development of L. cuprina. Specimens were reared on three tissue types; swine muscle, swine liver, and bovine muscle at 20°C, 25°C, 27°C, and 38°C. The optimum condition for L. cuprina development was for immatures reared on bovine muscle (287.4 h) followed by those reared on swine muscle (288.0 h) and swine liver (288.4 h) at 27°C. The minimum temperature threshold of L. cuprina was deduced to be 14°C. No significant differences in larval width and length over time were determined for the tissue type.

The Battle Against Flystrike - Past Research and New Prospects Through Genomics

Flystrike, or cutaneous myiasis, is caused by blow fly larvae of the genus Lucilia. This disease is a major problem in countries with large sheep populations. In Australia, Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann, 1830) is the principal fly involved in flystrike. While much research has been conducted on L. cuprina, including physical, chemical, immunological, genetic and biological investigations, the molecular biology of this fly is still poorly understood. The recent sequencing, assembly and annotation of the draft genome and analyses of selected transcriptomes of L. cuprina have given a first global glimpse of its molecular biology and insights into host-fly interactions, insecticide resistance genes and intervention targets. The present article introduces L. cuprina, flystrike and associated issues, details past control efforts and research foci, reviews salient aspects of the L. cuprina genome project and discusses how the new genomic and transcriptomic resources for this fly might accelerate fundamental molecular research of L. cuprina towards developing new methods for the treatment and control of flystrike.

A Case of Insect Colonization Before the Death

Forensic entomology is a branch of forensic science in which insects are used as evidence in legal investigations relating to humans, domestic animals and wildlife. One of the theoretical pillars on which the discipline is based concerns the fact that flies colonize a body after death. However in cases of myiasis, maggots are present before death, with consequences in the correct estimation of the minimum postmortem interval (mPMI). We report here the case of a woman, largely colonized by fly larvae, who has lain alive in her garden for four days prior to being rescued. Larvae were found on the conjunctivae, the bronchi, the rectum and vagina. The woman's death, two months later, was caused by tetanus. The consequences of myiasis on mPMI estimation are here discussed. In fact, despite she was still alive larvae, indicated and estimated age of 1.5-2.5 days, based on environmental and body temperature.