Human myiasis in patients with diabetic foot: 18 cases

Nasal Maggot Infection in a Patient With Nasal Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

We describe a case of nasal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a 79-year-old Chinese patient accompany with nasal myiasis. The first 2 biopsies in this case were false negative. Subsequently, nasal maggots developed in this patient. After removing all maggots under nasal endoscopy, the patient continued to have recurrent fever and was transferred to a higher hospital for further treatment, in which he received a third biopsy. Unfortunately, several hours after the biopsy, the patient died for severe nasal bleeding. The final biopsy result indicated the neoplasm of the left nasal cavity was non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This case illustrates the importance of repeated biopsies for nasal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma if necessary. Nasal myiasis is a secondary disease of nasal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in this case.

Parasites causing cutaneous wounds: Theory and practice from a dermatological point of view

A wide range of parasites can infest open wounds, or cause wounds due to the effects of the infestation. Parasitic infestations can involve the skin and subcutaneous tissues, with various clinical manifestations. In case of cutaneous wounds related to infestations, protozoa, helminths and arthropods are the main groups of parasites involved and emerging new aspects have been recently reported. Treating the wound correctly is fundamental in these patients in order to reduce the development of pathological scars and prevent complications. In particular, a gentle debridement for devitalized/infested tissue removal, the appropriate use of topical antiseptics and dressings such as hydrogel, hydrocolloids and antimicrobial dressings can be useful to control superinfections, moisture balance, inflammation and to promote edge proliferation.

Aural Myiasis: A Case Report and Literature Review

Myiasis is a type of parasitosis caused by the larvae of diptera. It commonly occurs in tropical and subtropical zones. The infestation of nose and ears can be extremely dangerous if the larvae destroy the bone and penetrate into the brain, in which case the fatality rate is reported to be as high as 8%. Here, we report a case of aural myiasis in a patient with congenital mental retardation. Twelve maggots were removed mechanically, and the patient was treated with appropriate antibiotics.

Low-frequency ultrasound enhances vascular endothelial growth factor expression, thereby promoting the wound healing in diabetic rats

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease with a high prevalence worldwide, which typically delays or impairs wound healing, potentially causing death. Low-frequency ultrasound treatment promotes the repair of various injuries and may promote wound healing. The aim of the present study was to determine whether low-frequency ultrasound can accelerate wound healing, as well as investigate its effects on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in diabetic rats. A total of 45 Wistar rats were intraperitoneally injected with 1% streptozocin following intraperitoneal injection of pentobarbital sodium anesthesia. Subsequently an incision wound was created in the skin of back. The area of the wound was recorded to calculate the rate of wound healing. The expression of VEGF and TGF-β1 was determined via immunohistochemical analysis and their mRNA and protein levels were measured via reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis. The results revealed that when compared with the control group, low-frequency ultrasound treatment significantly increased wound healing rate in diabetic rats and markedly increased the mRNA and protein levels of VEGF and TGF-β1. US treatment also reduced the mRNA and protein levels of TNF-α and IL-6. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicated that low-frequency ultrasound promotes the expression of VEGF and TGF-β1, and inhibits the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α, thereby promoting wound healing in diabetic rats.

A neglected causative agent in diabetic foot infection: a retrospective evaluation of 13 patients with fungal etiology

Background/aim

Clinicians often neglect fungal infections and do not routinely investigate deep tissue from the wound for fungal culture and sensitivity due to insufficient information in the literature. In this study, we aimed to evaluate fungal etiology of invasive fungal diabetic foot which is rarely reported in the literature.

Materials and methods

The patients who were unresponsive to antibiotic therapy and those with positive fungal in bone or deep tissue culture were enrolled in the study. Detailed hospital records were retrieved for demographics and clinical features.

Results

A total of 13 patients who were diagnosed with invasive fungal diabetic foot (ten females, three males, mean age 59.8 ± 9 years) were included. All of the patients had type-2 diabetes mellitus. Eleven (84.6%) patients had mixed infection. The most common cause of fungal infections of diabetic foot ulcers was the Candida species. Ten (76.9%) patients underwent amputation, two (15.4%) patients refused amputation, and one patient died before surgery.

Conclusion

Invasive fungal infections may also be a causative pathogen in deep tissue infections. Therefore, fungal pathogens should be considered in patients unresponsive to long-term antibiotic therapy. Early detection of fungal infections in high-risk individuals is critical for the prevention of severe consequences such as foot amputation.